Keep On Truckin'
by Twilit Violet
Summary: Sequel to IMYOR62. Mack’s in love and couldn’t be happier, but Vee yearns for something more. Racing and romance present their share of obstacles for the two best friends. Will love see them through? Rated for language, violence and adult themes.
1. Life in the Fast Lane

_Mmm, it's got that new sequel smell. Come, my readers, and bask in the sequely sequelness of my sequel! SEQUEL!!! _

CHAPTER ONE:  
LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

"Okay, here we go. Focus. Speed. I am speed. One winner, twenty-one losers. I eat losers for breakfast. Breakfast? Oh crud, I knew I should've eaten breakfast this morning instead of worrying about that stupid photo shoot! Mmm, pancakes… No, no, no, focus. Speed. Faster than fast, quicker than quick. I am Veronica Vroom."

There was a knock at the trailer door. "Hey Vee, you ready?" came Mack's voice from outside.

The door opened. Vee descended the ramp to a flurry of cheers and flashing lights as dozens of cars crowded around her. Fans and the press bombarded her with questions. Cameras clicked away like crazy. Mack came forward and with one intimidating sneer managed to keep the crowd at bay. Vee smiled seductively for the multitude of cameras poised on her every move. She turned slowly on the spot, winking and blowing kisses to her admirers. No one noticed the single kiss strategically aimed at the big red semi who was her driver. No one, that is, except Mack, who caught it and acknowledged it with a smile.

Whistles and catcalls rang out as Vee joined the other racecars on their way to the starting line. Before anyone could shout out "Break an axle!" they were off, streaking up the track in a roaring rainbow blur. Mack quickly made his way through the lumbering forest of RV's in the center field until he had a clear view of the track. He just barely caught a glimpse of the Chrysler as she sped past the fourth turn of her first lap.

Her pearly lavender paintjob glinted like moonlight on chrome, beautiful in spite of her sponsor's tacky stickers. The most notable of these was a blue letter V inside a large pink heart in the middle of her hood. Several smaller hearts dappled her sides, along with the number fourteen.

"Hold onto your hoods, fellas!" announced Darrell Cartrip. "Taking the lead in the first lap is the voluptuous Veronica Vroom! Helloooo mama, wouldja lookit that, Bob?"

"I'm looking, Darrell! Believe me, I'm looking!" replied Bob Cutlass. "That spicy little Chrysler's caught everyone's eye! And though she only just started racing last season, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that this lovely young lady may be the hottest thing on four wheels since the recently retired Sonia Alexa. In fact, I'd say even hotter!"

"You'd better watch out, Bob! We don't want to offend any Alexa fans down there!" Darrell chuckled. "If you wanna compare Vroom to anyone, then let's not forget fellow female racecars Mitzi Bishi and Carmen Cruz! Eat your hearts out, ladies, and make room for Vroom!"

* * *

Twenty laps… twenty-five laps… thirty laps… forty… fifty… a collision in the second turn leaving four racecars out of commission. Vee just barely managed to avoid becoming part of the pileup. 

"And thank the Manufacturer for those reflexes!" exclaimed Bob. "Did you see that swerve, Darrell? Talk about a precision instrument!"

"I sure did, Bob. Vroom's really on the ball today. Slicker than slick and faster than lightning!"

"Surely you don't mean faster than McQueen!" Bob teased.

"Surely I do, Bob," Darrell replied, "and speak of the devil! Here comes McQueen now, rounding the third turn. Looks like he lost more than one lap after that blowout back in lap forty-four. It's going to take a miracle for him to catch up with Vroom now!"

"After spending the first half of the race neck and neck with each other, and only eight laps left to go, he's gotta be wondering, how the heck did this ravishing rookie manage to steal second place right out from under his nose?"

"Same way she stole my heart, I'll bet!"

* * *

Seven laps… six laps… five laps… four… three… two… one… a swish of the flag, a roar from the crowd, and the race was over.

* * *

Mack forged his way through the crowd to get to Vee. "Hey Vee!" he called out to her over the roofs of several reporters and security vehicles. Vee squinted her eyes and looked past the blinding flash of cameras until she spotted him. She smiled and went to meet him halfway. Mack had to resist the overwhelming urge to sweep her up in his tires and kiss her passionately right then and there. Without a word he escorted her away from the clamoring crowd. 

"So did you get second or third place?" he asked her when they reached her trailer. "It looked too close to call from where I was parked."

"I tied for second with what's-his-name," Vee answered. "The Leak Less guy." Though her voice was subdued and her face blank, Mack could tell she was holding back a grin. He drove closer to her and gave her a congratulatory nudge that, though a small gesture for him, nearly caused her to collide with a forklift carrying a stack of tires.

"I guess that means Lightning came in third?"

"Third or fourth," Vee replied. "They're still trying to figure it out, I think. That guy sure likes sticking his tongue out."

"Oh hey, there he is now! Hey, kid!"

Lightning was standing near his trailer, arguing with a blue racecar.

"You only got third place 'cuz you just can't keep your dang mouth shut!" exclaimed his rival. "There's no way you would've beaten me otherwise!"

Lightning smirked proudly. "One word, pal: nnnnyeh!" he replied, sticking his tongue out at him. The blue car growled and drove away.

Mack chuckled. "You've come a long way, McQueen. Nice to see that you've become so refined over the past few years."

"Thanks," Lightning replied, having misinterpreted Mack's remark as a compliment. "Say Mack, have you seen Gaspar? I asked him to wait for me by the Rusteze tent after the race, but he's not there."

Mack groaned inwardly and glanced around. "Knowing him, he's probably over by the… yep. There he is, over there." He nodded toward the big blue stage where the Dinoco girls were posing for a photo shoot with the King. Though he had retired from racing two years earlier, Strip Weathers had yet to be replaced as Dinoco's golden boy. Off to one side of the stage stood a crimson semi truck. He looked nearly identical to Mack save for his brown eyes and darker red paintjob.

"What's he doing over there?" Lightning asked.

Mack sighed and shook his hood. "Only one thing I can think of." He drove toward the stage. Even though Gaspar's back was to him, there was no doubt what the big rig was up to. When he was near enough, Mack could clearly hear him flirting with one of the Dinoco girls. He rolled his eyes.

"Hey Dad," he said, giving the crimson truck a nudge. No response. "Dad!"

Gaspar jumped and turned around. "What?" he yelped. "Look, I'm keepin' my tires to myself! See?"

"Lightning's looking for you!" Mack explained.

"Oh, is that all?" Gaspar appeared both relieved and disappointed by this news.

"Yeah. Time to go home."

At these words Gaspar perked up. He turned to the nearest Dinoco girls and with a tip of his hood said, "Sorry ladies, but this truck is spoken for!" As he drove away the girls whispered amongst themselves and snickered.

Mack smirked at his father. "I don't know why Mom doesn't come along to make sure you behave yourself," he grumbled.

"Hell, if she did, I wouldn't have a reason to misbehave!" Gaspar chuckled, then sighed. "Dodge, I miss that woman."

"You just saw her yesterday," Mack reminded him, "and we'll be home in a few hours."

"So? That don't mean I don't miss her when she's not around."

* * *

A few minutes later Mack and Gaspar had hitched themselves up to their trailers. Lightning snickered at Mack. "I still can't get over how ridiculous you look hauling a purple trailer!" he teased. 

Mack smirked at him, but did not reply. A purple trailer he could live with. Inwardly he thanked his lucky stars that he hadn't been coerced into getting a paintjob to match or Vee's sponsor's logo printed on his cap. Even she wasn't all that thrilled about being sponsored by Velvalube, the joint lubricant for women. The design was far too girly for her taste, and the overpowering floral scent of the product caused Mack's allergies to act up.

"Hey Vee," Mack called to her over the intercom. "Can you hear me back there?"

"Loud and clear!" she replied.

"Ready to go home?"

"You bet!" A few seconds of silence, then - "Hey Mack, guess what tomorrow is?"

"Uhhhhh, Thursday?"

"Yeessss…"

"The fourteenth?"

"Bingo!"

It took him a moment to realize what she was hinting at. "Oh, right! Valentine's Day!" He grinned at the prospect of what such a romantic day would entail for them both. It had been over two years since that fateful day when his best friend from high school had crashed into him in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. Two whole years, and his love for her was just as strong as it had been the night they'd shared their first kiss while on the run from the law. Mack was determined to make this Valentine's Day one she would never forget.

Beside him on the freeway, Gaspar seemed to be thinking the same thing. His grin was far more devious, but Mack ignored him. He had plans of his own to worry about.

* * *

_Sorry this first chapter wasn't as good as it ought to be. I had a very hard time writing it and I was in a hurry to post this sequel. Mainly I found it difficult to write about racing because it's just so darn boring. Watching it is one thing, but how does one WRITE about a bunch of cars driving in circles for hours without getting monotonous? _

_And yes, Mack's parents are in this fic! Some of you may already be familiar with them from my comics on DA and WC. _

_Art for this story can be found on my DeviantArt page! Link is in my profile! Please R&R! More to come soon!_


	2. Semi Sweet

_A thousand apologies for the delay. I was SO stuck on this chapter for some reason.  
__I don't know why. But here it is. Enjoy! And please review!_

CHAPTER TWO:  
SEMI SWEET

Mack backed the trailer into the garage at Lightning's racing headquarters. The recently finished building stood a few miles outside of Radiator Springs. He let Vee out and the two drove back to town together in the dim light of late afternoon. Neither one said a word during the short drive back. The cool desert breeze carried the scent of sage and recent rain. Vee breathed it in deeply and sighed, happy to be home again.

They arrived at Flo's to the usual cheers and congratulations reserved for every return from a race. Lightning was already there with Mater and Sally, telling his own version of what had happened at the track and forgetting that they had seen it on TV. Mack braked suddenly at the sight of his former boss parked beneath the awning.

"What the… how the heck did you beat us back?" he demanded.

"_Duh, _I'm Lightning McQueen!" the racecar replied with a smug grin. Sally rolled her eyes.

Mack smirked. "Right. Of course. I take it that means you either fell out of the trailer or you worked my dad to death to hurry home." He looked around. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Gaspar? I dunno. He was here a minute ago." Lightning also glanced around, but there was no sign of the older semi.

Vee parked beside Sally under the edge of the awning and Mack parked on her other side. The last rays of the sun faded like dying embers beyond the Cadillac Range just as the diner's neon lights buzzed to life.

"Sonia Alexa's having a retirement party in Houston next month," Sally said as she turned toward Vee. "Her sponsor's giving her a big sendoff and all the racecars in the Piston Cup circuit are supposed to be invited. You going?"

Vee shrugged. "I doubt it. I mean, I've never even met her. And I seriously doubt they'd put a rookie like me on the invite list."

"Why not? They invited Stickers here."

"That's right!" Lightning beamed proudly before he realized what Sally had meant. "Hey!"

Vee chuckled.

"If you do go, and if it's not too much trouble," here Sally lowered her voice and moved closer to Vee, "do you think you could get Dale Earnhardt Junior's autograph for me?"

"Well sure, I can try, but… isn't Lightning going to the party?"

"Yeah, he is, but he's not too crazy about Junior ever since he found out I'm a big fan of his."

"That's cuz you're supposed to be MY fan!" Lightning said with a pout.

"Oh, suck it up, you big baby," Vee told him. Sally laughed.

Tia drove up just then and stood shuffling her tires as she waited for Mack and Vee to place their orders.

"The usual," Mack told her. Tia nodded and looked at the Chrysler expectantly.

"Oh, nothing for me, thanks," Vee murmured and waved her away with a tire.

The waitress looked her over. "Still on that diet?"

"Yup."

Tia's lips curled in the smallest of smiles. "You look good," she said, and in the split second before she turned and drove back to the café, Vee could tell by the look on her face that she had meant it.

"Will you can the diet thing already?" Mack grumbled. "I tell you every day that you look great, but you never believe me!"

"I know, but there's a difference between dieting to stay thin and dieting to stay healthy," Vee reminded him.

"And you're already both! At least have a quart of mineral oil. My treat. You just finished a two-hundred-lap race! You've got to be hitting empty by now."

"No thanks. I'm good."

Mack shook his hood and sighed. "I reeaaally don't want to have to take that nozzle there and cram it down your throat again."

Vee chuckled. "All right, fine. I'll bum some of your oil, if that's okay."

"Of course."

Tia came back a minute later with Mack's super-sized order. She was about to set it down in front of him when the sound of a diesel engine made her pause. A powder blue Mack Pinnacle truck sped past on the main street, followed shortly by a dark red Superliner with an out-of-tune engine.

"Woo! Yeah, baby!" shouted the red truck. There was a lusty gleam in his eye as he chased the blue truck. "Come 'ere and give Big Daddy some of that sweet sugar!"

Mack closed his eyes and sank low on his axles. "Aw jeez. Not again," he groaned. Vee gave his tire a reassuring pat. The two big rigs rounded the corner and disappeared behind the diner, leaving behind a cloud of dust and the ringing sound of their laughter.

The din of conversation at Flo's was hushed now; everyone seemed to be waiting for something to happen. Seconds later, the twin roar of engines grew louder as the two semis reappeared from behind Flo's after having circled the block. The blue one slowed as she pulled into the lot and drove toward Mack. The crimson truck just barely slowed down, if he slowed at all, and swept past Tia with such speed that she nearly spilled the oil she was holding. Mack caught it just in time.

Sheriff's beacon flashed as he pulled forward out of his spot between Doc and Sarge. "Dagnab it, Gaspar!" he huffed. "I swear to Dodge this is your last warning about that!"

Mack turned, very reluctantly, to find his parents now parked on the edge of the lot. The crimson truck had one tire hooked around the blue truck's tire and was pulling her close for a kiss. He stopped when Sheriff yelled at him and turned around. "About what?" he asked innocently. "The speeding or -"

"Speeding AND public indecency!" the squad car clarified, pulling up to him and shining his searchlight in his face. Gaspar squinted and backed away from his wife.

"Thanks, Sheriff," said the blue truck. Her voice was deep but pleasant. "I tell him no but all he hears is yes."

"That's all right. I ain't blaming you, Midge," Sheriff replied. He kept his light on Gaspar, who was now trying to edge around the much smaller car and make a break for it. "You, on the other tire…" he glared up at the big truck, but said nothing more. He drove back to his spot, leaving the two semis alone. The blue one sighed and shook her hood, giving her husband a look to match Sheriff's. The two trucks drove off to find a parking spot.

Gaspar went over to Mack and slugged his fender. "Ha! Didn't think your old man'd beat ya home, didja?" Mack growled and slugged him back, and the two fell into a little father-son wrestling match. It quickly ended in a stalemate in which each man had the other in what looked more like a loving embrace than a chokehold. They both chuckled, then let go of each other.

Midge drove up to Mack then and nuzzled her son's grille. Mack returned the gesture with a contented purr. Vee smiled. It always warmed her heart to see how close a family the Truckers were.

Mack's mother parked across from them and settled on her axles. Beside her, Gaspar gingerly inched his way closer to her. When their sides touched he began to brush his tire against hers. Midge pointedly ignored him as she asked Vee how the race had gone.

"Oh, not bad," she replied, her eyes on Gaspar. She tried not to smile at his attempts to rouse a response from his wife. The twins came out of the diner at the same time, one to collect Lightning and Sally's empty cups and one to take Midge and Gaspar's orders.

"Can I getcha anything?" Mia asked the two trucks. Gaspar quickly withdrew his tire from Midge's and grinned big at the little car.

"Yeah, I think I'll have a couple gallons of coffee. Strong black. I have a feeling I'm gonna be pulling another all-nighter." He winked at Midge, who rolled her eyes.

Gaspar lowered his voice. "Oh, and how 'bout a double helping of Miata on the side?" This time Mia rolled her eyes. Midge glared at him and he chuckled.

"I'm just kiddin', hun," he assured her. "You know you're the only one fer me."

After the waitress left Gaspar promptly resumed caressing her tire, though she seemed more determined than ever not to respond.

"Mm, that's right. Just keep ignorin' me, babe," he purred. "When I get you alone tonight you won't be able to ignore me, even if you wanted to. And you won't want to, I guarantee you that."

Midge pulled her tire away from him. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, _sir_," she mumbled sarcastically.

Gaspar pressed closer to her. "Oh yes you do!"

"Hmph!" She turned her nose up and looked away.

Gaspar chuckled. "Aw c'mon, baby. Don't be like that." He hooked his tire around hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Hey, who's my sexy lil Midget?" Midge said nothing. Mack blushed and groaned. Lightning snickered.

"Come ooooon," Gaspar prodded her. "Who's my gal?" He gave her big, pleading puppy dog eyes. She glanced back at him and smiled.

"I am," she answered proudly, and allowed him to kiss her cheek.

Mack blushed darker than his dad and started to back out of his parking spot, but Vee caught his tire with hers and smiled up at him in a way that always managed to make him feel more at ease.

Ramone pulled into the lot just then and Flo came out of the diner to greet him. He gave her a peck on the cheek, then turned to survey the dinner crowd. He spotted the two semis nuzzling each other affectionately and grinned.

"Hey, Big G!" he addressed Gaspar. "You still wanna get that tattoo for Valentine's Day?"

Midge turned to her husband with a look of surprise. "What tattoo?"

Gaspar blushed slightly and gave Ramone a dirty look. "That was _supposed _to be a surprise!" he growled through gritted teeth.

"What tattoo?" Midge demanded again.

"Oh, it's nothing, really," he murmured. "I uh, I was just gonna get a little heart on my side here with your name in it. That's all."

Ramone drove up to them. "Hey man, don't forget the pinstripes! Remember, you said you wanted the Von Dutch style on your -"

Gaspar waved a tire to silence him. "I _said_ it was a _surprise_!" he growled again.

Ramone backed away and turned to face Mack and Vee. His impish grin returned. "So what about you?" he said. "You two got plans for Valentine's Day besides rockin' the casbah?"

Mack blushed and Vee chuckled. "We do," she replied, "but Mack won't tell me what they are. Will you?" She looked up at the big rig with a seductive smirk. Mack was still blushing, though the smile he gave in return promised a very special Valentine's Day indeed.

* * *

_Don't forget to check out the illustrations for this fic on DeviantART. There's a link in my FFN profile. If you don't see the latest chapter pic when you get there, just click on the big pic from Ch. 1 labeled "Keep On Truckin'" and follow the links beneath the chapters to see all the illustrations. _

_Ch. 2 pic is Midge and Gaspar, so if you haven't seen Mack's parents yet, you may want to go check it out. If anyone has any trouble viewing the illustrations, please let me know in a review or PM and I will help you._


	3. Vee My Valentine

_A/N: A thousand apologies for the tardiness of this chapter. I bet you're all sick of Valentine's Day by now, but here it is: the big V Day chapter! Or should I say, Vee Day. Enjoy! Muchas gracias to WhiteStar for the insight on Vee's feelings about this mushy holiday. Be sure to check out her fic, "How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways" starring Mack and Vee._

CHAPTER THREE:  
VEE MY VALENTINE

Pink. Everywhere… pink. Pink hearts. All over town. Hanging from the awnings at Flo's. Plastered on the doors of every last cozy cone. Painted all over the town's resident hippie. Strung around the Leaning Tower of Tires. Scattered carelessly all over the junkyard. On a flag atop the pole in front of Sarge's Surplus Hut, below which an irate Jeep was trying his hardest to unknot the rope and lower the fluttering eyesore. Even temporarily tattooed in more than a few unmentionable places.

Pink. Neon pink, salmon pink, bubblegum pink, magenta pink, Pepto Bismol pink, transmission fluid pink… it was enough to make the sanest vehicle see pink with rage. Pink hearts engulfing the town in mushy forced sentiments. And not nearly enough red to allow the menfolk to feel comfortable with their masculinity.

Lightning surveyed the scene, eyes wide with horror. "Wow. Um… the twins sure outdid themselves," he said to Doc, who was standing beside him. The old Hornet took one look in the direction of his clinic and closed his eyes with a groan. After a moment he opened them again, half hoping the lurid pink blemishes would be gone. No such luck. The building, adorned with valentines and frilly streamers, looked more like a bridal boutique than a medical clinic.

"How did you ever talk me into letting those two decorate?" he grumbled.

Lightning blushed. "Well, they did a good job with my wedding," he replied, scuffing a tire over a fallen heart. "Sally was really impressed. But this - this is just - just…" Feeling twin sets of eyes on his rear bumper, Lightning turned to find none other than the two girls responsible for the décor. "Great!" he finished loudly, tacking a frantic smile on his face.

The Miatas grinned from headlight to headlight at his approval. They were both painted a sickening sugary pink. On their hoods were large, identical hearts the exact shade of red as their idol. In lieu of the traditional arrow, each heart was pierced with a golden lightning bolt. Both girls wore heavy makeup and their entire bodies appeared to be coated with a fine layer of glitter gloss.

Lightning backed up slightly but kept his composure. "Great job, ladies!" he spoke through gritted teeth as he held his grin in place. "I, uh, was just telling Doc here that you two really outdid yourselves this time! The town looks very… romantic." The girls grinned even wider, if it were possible, and emitted twin squeals of delight.

"If you like this, wait till you see your racing headquarters!" Mia exclaimed.

Lightning's smile vanished. "My what?"

"You are SO going to love it!" said Tia. "We used all the best decorations on it! Come see!"

Before he could object, both girls flanked him and started steering him in the direction of their 'masterpiece.'

* * *

With a large yet amazingly agile tire, Mack arranged the delicate cluster of baby's breath around the red rose. He had one eye squinted almost shut as he moved painstakingly slowly over the corsage. Red watched him work in wide-eyed fascination. 

"There. Perfect." Letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, the big rig backed up and admired his creation with a proud smile. He glanced up at the fire truck, who was now staring in awe at the corsage. "What do you think, Red?"

Red grinned and nodded.

"Thanks a mil for the flowers," Mack told him, gathering up the rest of the corsages and placing them in a large cooler to keep them fresh. Red's smile faded and he backed halfway into his garage, suddenly shy. Mack looked at him questioningly and followed the fire truck's gaze.

Vee was coming toward him up the street. Mack slammed the cooler lid shut and pulled in front of it, blocking it from her view. But Vee appeared to be preoccupied with the town's garish décor. Judging by the smirk on her face, she was no more thrilled about it than he was. Her eyes traveled past the semi and snagged on a particularly frilly garland of lacy pink hearts strung across the front of the courthouse behind him.

"Ugh," she groaned. "I feel like I'm in a tampon commercial or something. I mean, could this possibly be any gayer?" She nodded toward the building.

Mack blushed. "Oh, well… then I guess you won't be too happy about this," he chuckled, turning around. He pushed the cooler forward. Vee stared at it, unimpressed, until he lifted the lid. Inside the box were ten corsages, each one more dazzling than the last. There were roses, orchids, lilies, carnations… flowers of every color in the rainbow. No two corsages were alike. Vee gasped.

"Oh Mack - they're beautiful!" she whispered. "Are - are these all for me?"

Mack grinned. "No, only one is. The rest are for the nine other ladies I'm seeing."

Vee laughed and punched his fender. She reached into the cooler and lifted one of the corsages out, admiring it with breathless awe. It had a pink rosebud rimmed with fern fronds and baby's breath.

"Allow me," he said, taking it from her. He was about to place it over her right headlight when she backed away suddenly.

"Not yet! I need to get cleaned up first."

On closer inspection Mack noted that the Chrysler was covered with a fine layer of dust.

"I've been practicing out at the Butte all afternoon and I'm sure I'm a mess," she explained.

"No problem." He turned around. "Hey, Red! Can I getcha to do me one more favor?"

Red drove out of his garage, staring at the semi curiously.

"Red loaned me the flowers," Mack told Vee, before instructing the fire truck to hose her off.

A gentle stream of water washed over Vee. It was cold at first, but she quickly got used to it and soon found it refreshing. She turned slowly on the spot, allowing Red to wash away every last speck of dust. Mack sucked in a breath as he watched, mesmerized by the way the water ran in gleaming rivulets down her curves.

"Okay. Thank you, Red!" Vee said, indicating that she was done. Red shut the water off and tucked his hose away, smiling bashfully at her. Vee shook herself dry, showering Mack and Red both with droplets of water. Mack chuckled and drove forward, fastening the corsage he'd been holding to a spot near the center of her hood. Then he took one after another and attached them all to various places along her body, until she was covered with flowers.

He had just withdrawn the last corsage from the cooler when Vee swiped it from his tire and deftly affixed it to his left wheel well, just above the headlight. Mack blushed and when she pulled away, the two stood gazing at each other in silence for nearly a minute.

Finally, Mack sighed and shook his hood. "What a waste," he murmured.

"What's a waste?"

"All those flowers. On you they just look like weeds!"

Vee smirked. "Great. So in other words I'm wearing a bunch of corsages made of weeds. Really romantic." He gave her an apologetic look and her smirk turned into a genuine smile. "Thank you, Mack." She gave him an innocent, if lingering, kiss on the lips.

Mack chuckled softly as he kissed her back. "Hey, not so fast there!" he teased. "I thought you weren't into all this mushy-gushy love-dovey stuff!"

Vee chuckled too. "Well, I'm certainly not too crazy about having a whole day dedicated to it. I mean, look around. Everyone's acting like Cupid shot 'em in the back bumper. It's like, now that it's Valentine's Day we've all got to go and do something cheesy just to prove we can be romantic, if only for one day. And that's usually all it is: one lousy day."

One look into each other's eyes and both vehicles felt a small stab of guilt.

"I'm sorry," Vee murmured. "I didn't mean -"

Mack shook his hood. "Don't be." He brushed his tire against hers in a reassuring gesture. "I don't blame you for hating this holiday. It is pretty stupid, after all." Despite his words, he still felt guilty.

On their first Valentine's Day together two years earlier, Vee had acted strangely indifferent to what most lovers considered "their special day." He had taken her out to dinner and a movie that night, but it wasn't until they lay snuggled together in the afterglow of their lovemaking that she confessed her disdain for that particular holiday.

"It's kind of hard dissociating Valentine's Day with being an escort," she had said. "Worst day of the year, really. Definitely the busiest. We were always short-staffed then. In fact, I was hired at Ford's only a week before the big day. Slade didn't have nearly enough girls to go around, so he came up to me in a bar, a total stranger, and offered me a thousand dollar incentive to come work for him. To this day I still don't know what possessed me to say yes, but I did. Jerk took that grand out of my own earnings later on."

If it weren't for Mack's well-meaning attempts at romance, Valentine's Day would have passed without so much as a grunt of acknowledgment from Vee. In spite of what she'd told him, he'd decided to try all the harder to make that day as meaningful for her as possible. And _this_ Valentine's Day he intended to make the most meaningful of all.

* * *

Adorned with hearts and streamers, Ramone's House of Body Art looked no manlier than any other building in town, even with the large crimson semi truck parked in front of it. Gaspar appeared rather uncomfortable as he paid the Impala for his services. 

"Yo, relax man," Ramone told him. "It's gonna be tender for a while."

"How long?"

"Eh, few days, maybe. In the meantime you're gonna wanna avoid doin' the deed."

Gaspar snorted. "And why would I ever want to avoid _that_?"

"Cuz it's gonna hurt like hell till the swelling goes down," Ramone replied casually as he turned to put his tools away.

"WHAT?" the big rig roared. "But today's Valentine's Day!"

"Yeah, so?"

"So why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Ramone shrugged. "Dude, I thought you knew."

Gaspar seethed. "Great. So you're telling me I can't even give my wife -" he shut his mouth at the sound of a familiar engine and spun around.

"Give me what?" asked Midge, pulling up.

Gaspar winced at the throbbing ache in his underside and forced a smile for her. "Oh, hey Baby Doll." He turned slightly so she could see the design on his side. It was a pink heart with the name Midge written in elegant cursive letters inside it. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Midge took one look at it and her own heart instantly melted. "Oh honey…" Then she noticed Ramone, who was grinning devilishly from the doorway of his shop. She smirked. "All right, where's the other one?" she demanded, looking her husband over.

Gaspar gave her a grin to match Ramone's. "Oh, you'll see, hun. It's someplace real special. For your eyes only!"

"Psssh, yeah right," the low rider grumbled. "I just been having to look at it for the last hour and a half!"

Midge chuckled. "Well, let's see it then!"

Gaspar gingerly tilted himself to one side, exposing his undercarriage. Midge's eyes widened.

"Ooooh, hello Daddy!" she purred. "I bet that must have hurt."

"Not a bit," he said as he lowered himself with utmost caution, then slowly turned to face her. "So whadda ya think?"

"I think," Midge said, driving forward with a seductive smile, "that you, Gaspar Trucker, are going to be one _very _happy man tonight."

As they kissed, Gaspar made a mental note to throttle Ramone.

* * *

The winter sun hung low in the sky, casting long, silver-blue shadows over Radiator Springs. Several tables had been set up on the outskirts of town, around which all the residents were now parked and enjoying the lavish spaghetti dinner Flo had prepared. 

Mack and Vee were parked at one table, enjoying the meal while observing the goings-on around them. At the next table Lightning and Sally exchanged helpless looks while Mater stood between them guffawing over a rather crude joke he'd just told about a dump truck in love with a limousine. On their other side Lizzie was chatting Red's ear off, reminiscing long-past Valentine's Days with Stanley. Red nodded politely from time to time, though his attention had long since wandered.

At another table, Mia and Tia were looking thoroughly displeased at the fact that they hadn't managed to get dates. They glanced around, eyeing the couples enviously and giving all the single men covetous looks when on any other day they hardly afforded them a passing glance. At the table next to them, Gaspar shifted uncomfortably on his tires as Midge whispered something to him that made him blush. Flo and Ramone were already making out at their table while nearby Doc and Sheriff platonically shared a meal and light conversation.

Sarge and Fillmore were discretely parked at a table that appeared as though it had been moved away from the others. There were even fresh drag marks in the dirt to confirm this. Fillmore sipped his champagne contentedly while Sarge grumbled to himself, though quite loud enough for those nearest to hear, about "getting stuck with the stinkin' hippie again.' The widely-known fact that he had chosen to park at Fillmore's table was never mentioned.

Luigi and Guido had abandoned their meal in favor of entertaining the other diners. The little Fiat was currently wandering from table to table, serenading the unfortunate couples while Guido accompanied him on the accordion.

"When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore!"

Ramone, who had painted himself magenta for the occasion, pulled his lips away from Flo's and glared at him. "Hey man, can't you see I'm a little busy here?"

"I am-a only trying to set-a the mood!" Luigi replied, then resumed singing. "When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine, that's amore!"

Ramone growled. "You gonna be kissing your own back bumper if I hear any _amore_ out of you! Now scram!"

Luigi gasped. "The nerve! Come, Guido. We will-a not waste another breath on-a this bastardo rosa crudele!" And in a huff both Italian vehicles turned and drove off toward the next table.

"What did you call me?" Ramone demanded, driving after them. "Hey! Get back here and say whatever you just said to my face!"

Red watched the three men bicker in front of his table with growing anxiety. He slowly backed away, leaving Lizzie to chat up the newly vacated spot beside her, and snuck over to her curio shop. A minute later loud music poured across town as Stevie Wonder sang "I Just Called To Say I Love You."

_No New Year's Day to celebrate  
No chocolate covered candy hearts to give away  
No first of spring, no song to sing  
In fact here's just another ordinary day _

Relieved by this interruption, the diners quickly left their tables to go cruising. "Good thinking, Red," Vee said as she and Mack passed him on Main Street. She stopped and gave him a peck on the bumper. Red blushed crimson and gave her a bashful smile in return.

_No April rain, no flowers bloom  
No wedding Saturday within the month of June  
But what it is, is something true  
Made up of these three words that I must say to you _

I just called to say I love you  
I just called to say how much I care  
I just called to say I love you  
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart. 

"There's a lot of love out here, man," Fillmore commented as he watched the couples in various stages of intimacy. He gave Sarge a friendly nudge and a wink. The Jeep, who was driving beside him, curled his normally stiff bumper in a sneer.

"What have I told you about embarrassing me, hippie?" he grumbled.

"I dunno. What?"

Sarge rolled his eyes.

Several of the cruisers traded partners at the start of each song. Mater made it a point to cruise with everyone, male and female, whether they liked it or not. Even the most reluctant found him impossible to refuse. Having a tow hook latched under one's back bumper and dangerously close to certain parts can be very persuasive.

Vee was in the middle of her third cruise with him when Mack passed her going in the opposite direction. She turned to follow him and, in one swift move, managed to unglue Lizzie from his side and trade places with her. The elderly car rolled away with Mater, both seemingly unaware of the switch. Vee smiled up at Mack and the big rig chuckled. He glanced around at the other cruisers and, without a word, turned and drove away. Vee followed.

It wasn't until they were well beyond the town limits that she ventured to speak.

"So where are we going?" she asked him.

Mack grinned slyly. "Oh, you'll see."

Vee smirked at him, but did not question him further. Judging by the direction they were headed, she had a pretty good idea where he was taking her. A few minutes of silent driving finally compelled her to seek out some music on her radio. Finding the perfect song for the occasion, she turned the volume up so that Mack could listen too. The two vehicles drove closer together as Martina McBride started to sing "My Valentine."

_If there were no words  
No way to speak  
I would still hear you  
If there were no tears  
No way to feel inside  
I'd still feel for you _

And even if the sun refused to shine  
Even if romance ran out of rhyme  
You would still have my heart until the end of time  
You're all I need, my love, my valentine 

_  
All of my life  
I have been waiting for  
All you give to me  
You've opened my eyes  
And shown me how to love unselfishly _

I've dreamed of this a thousand times before  
In my dreams I couldn't love you more  
I will give you my heart  
Until the end of time...  
You're all I need, my love, my valentine

And even if the sun refused to shine  
Even if romance ran out of rhyme  
You would still have my heart until the end of time  
'cause all I need is you, my valentine  
You're all I need, my love, my valentine.

* * *

Mack pulled off the road several minutes later. They had arrived at an outlook that afforded a panoramic view of the valley below. Vee parked beside him at the cliff's edge and turned off her lights and radio. The sudden plunge into silence and darkness left both of them momentarily blind and deaf. Neither one spoke as they stood side by side, adjusting to the night around them. Far, far below the festive neon lights of Radiator Springs could be seen, glowing like a familiar face in a crowd. 

Just up the road from the Wheel Well, this vantage point was one of their favorite parking spots. Mack stared out at the horizon where black earth met deep blue starry sky. He said nothing even as he scooted closer to Vee. His tire brushed absently against her own much smaller tire and she leaned into him with a sigh. Mack tensed and pulled away. Vee gave him a puzzled look.

"Something wrong?"

"Oh no," Mack replied, shaking his hood. "I uh, I'm just… ummm…"

Vee smirked. "What? Don't tell me you're getting cold tires! This is the one day out of the whole year when we're _supposed_ to get cozy with each other. Everyone expects us to. It's like our civic duty or whatever."

This time Mack smirked. "Did my dad tell you that?"

Vee shrugged. "I overheard him saying it to your mom last night after she told him to behave himself or he'd be spending Valentine's Day alone."

Despite the usual mortification that Mack associated with his father's antics, he found himself chuckling. "Yep. Poor old Dad. He might as well spend tonight alone after what Ramone put him through."

Vee laughed too. "Just don't tell me you've gone and done the same thing!"

"Of course not!" he insisted. "Do I look stupid to you? Well, Dad's not stupid, but he is crazy." They shared another laugh.

When he'd calmed down, Mack looked down at Vee, dazzled by the reflections of the stars on her windshield. He felt his engine heat up in a way that had nothing to do with lust. _Okay, Mack. This is it. Now or never…_

Mack took a deep breath and took her tire in his own. "Vee," he said, surprised to find himself trembling. "Vee, will you -"

One look in her starry eyes and it was like he'd hit an enormous roadblock. Those words, those two simple words, had parked themselves on the tip of his tongue and refused to budge. _Marry me, marry me, marry me…Come on Mack, just say it already! _

"Will you… be my valentine?"

Mack blushed red hot and cursed himself. Vee stared up at him curiously.

"I thought I already was?"

"Well yeah, but… uh…"

Vee smirked at him. "What happened? Did you get stood up by those other nine women?" she teased.

This time Mack looked puzzled. Then he chuckled, more from nerves than her joke. "Oh! Well, heh, actually - they all had previous engagements and -" he winced at the word 'engagement,' "and since you're the only one who showed up, I thought..." He shrugged and forced a grin for her, though all the while he was kicking himself for his cowardice.

Vee's lips found his and she kissed him with a fiery passion that took him completely by surprise. "Does that answer your question?" she purred, before diving in for another kiss.

Mack kissed her back with an unprecedented urgency, as though by doing so he could somehow erase his shame. His tongue swept into her mouth to dance with hers. All the things he found he couldn't say were still there. He could taste them just as surely as he could taste her.

He drowned himself in the kiss. They barely broke apart for air when he dove straight back in, nearly smothering her. With one giant tire he gently turned her to the side, then away from him, exploring every inch of her frame with his hungry lips. He wanted her, needed her, loved her more than anything. As he took her, he gave himself in return, deriving all of his pleasure from that which he gave to her.

High above the valley, at their favorite outlook, right beside the road, they made love. They made love, deep into the night, and for just a few heavenly hours - far too few - Mack was able to forget his foolish mistake.

_

* * *

Phew! Am I glad that's over! I can't believe how hard this chapter was to write! I'd better get some extra good reviews for this one! LOL, I'm kidding. You've all been great. I certainly can't complain. Seriously, thank you all for faithfully reading and reviewing my fics. I really appreciate it. _

"_Bastardo rosa crudele" means "heartless pink bastard." I got it from a free translation website, and it's probably wrong, but oh well._


	4. Struts and Shocks

Sorry for yet another long delay. Between writer's block and a couple of long overdue projects, I had little hope of updating until now. With more free time and inspiration, I can finally sit my arse down and punch out a few new chapters, starting with this one.

CHAPTER FOUR:  
STRUTS AND SHOCKS

Spring came quickly to Radiator Springs this year, and with it a brisk March wind that seemed to challenge all who dared to race against it. In this tiny speck of a town there was more than enough competition to be found in any one of its three resident racecars, two of whom now stood poised at the edge of Willy's Butte, engines revving. Lightning and Vee exchanged haughty sideways glances, smirks ill-concealed, as they readied themselves for their third race of the day.

"Best two out of three," Lightning murmured, and Vee's smile grew smug. Their first race had been a very close call; so close that Lightning insisted he'd won despite Vee's certainty that he hadn't. At best, she believed that they had tied. The second race she won, no question. Lightning had been so far behind that he couldn't have argued if he'd wanted to, which it was obvious he did. This merely resulted in his challenging her again and adding a stake. "If I win, you owe me a round at Flo's!"

Vee snorted. "I've got half a case of beer in my trunk," she mumbled. "I'll let you have it if you'll just cram a muffler in it already." Lightning responded with a deafening roar of his engine that Vee quickly matched. Both cars vanished in a cloud of dust.

Lightning was already ahead by half a car's length. Vee conserved her energy, allowing him to take the lead. As they approached the first turn, she picked up speed and swerved around him. Years of practice and play, both on and off the track, had honed her racing skills to rival those of the Fabulous Hudson Hornet himself. In fact, it was from him that she had learned this very move.

Lightning preferred taking turns at a wide sweep along the outer shoulder of the track. While most dirt racers also preferred this, Vee had recently mastered the art of executing a much sharper turn while hugging the inner shoulder. This nearly impossible feat was extremely difficult to learn, and more often than not it was a matter of luck and not talent that saved most who tried it from skidding out of control.

In seconds she gained the lead. Lightning's swears could be heard from far behind as she neared the finish line. She glanced back in her mirror to see Lightning McQueen, a tiny red speck vanishing in the dust. Vee looked forward again just in time to see a large _black _speck appear out of nowhere. She slammed on her brakes and turned sideways, stopping just inches short of a collision. The wind kicked up a cloud of dust in her face, causing her to sneeze.

When it settled, she found herself face to face with a black Model T. "Lizzie?" Vee gasped. "What're you -" her words were cut off by a snore. The old car was parked on the finish line, sound asleep. Before Vee could speak again, Lightning came streaking past, engine roaring. The combined sound and velocity jolted Lizzie awake. The wind that followed him brought up another cloud of dust and nearly knocked the old woman over. Vee steadied her with a tire.

"WOOHOOOOO!" Lightning cheered. "Best two outta three! _You_ owe _me_ a beer!"

Vee smirked but didn't bother to argue with him. She popped her trunk open. "They're warm and flat, and they're all yours. Enjoy." While Lightning dug through her trunk for his prize, she looked Lizzie over. "Lizzie, what are you doing out here?"

"Eh?" The Model T squinted at her. "What are _you _doing out here?"

"Racing," Vee replied. "Same thing I always do out here." She jumped as Lightning slammed her trunk shut. "OW! Jeez, McQueen. Close it, don't slam it."

Lizzie noticed him and smiled. "Hey there, Hotrod! How about tossing me a cold one!" She gestured to the can of beer he had just opened.

Lightning took one swig and passed it to her, making a face as he did so. "Here. Have a _hot_ one on me!"

Vee watched Lizzie chug none-too-daintily on the brew. "You drink?" she asked, staring at her in surprise.

Lizzie set the can down just long enough to reply, "You don't?"

Lightning reached a tire out to take the can back. "Easy there, Liz! Remember what happened the last time you got drunk?" but she had already finished her beer. With a mighty belch she crushed the can into the dirt and then drove a quick donut around Lightning, stirring up dust and cackling like a witch.

"WEHEEHEEEEE! Come on, Hotrod! You and me, let's burn some rubber!" She stopped abruptly beside him and, with surprising strength for such a fragile-looking vehicle, started nudging him back toward the racetrack. Lightning flashed Vee a "Help me!" look as he allowed the old woman to steer him away. Vee responded with a "Ha ha!" smirk. She drove up onto a small rise to watch the two race. Though Lightning drove at a slow speed to accommodate the elderly car, it was she who was actually giving _him_ a run for his money.

Lizzie swerved back and forth across the dirt track, kicking up a thick plume of dust that was quickly dissipated by the wind. Lightning was forced to swerve too to avoid the crazy old car who was slowly but surely pushing him off the track, ever and ever closer to the cactus patch that bordered it, until finally…

CRASH! Lizzie bumped Lightning, who swerved too late and too suddenly, and plunged hood-first into a wall of blossoming prickly pear cactus. Vee's laughter at the sight was cut short by a gasp. She watched in horror as the old Model T sailed past Lightning and, without slowing down, bounced into the air and vanished over a ridge.

"Oh my Dodge! LIZZIE!" Without a second's hesitation Vee zoomed down the track and flew over the same ridge she had just seen Lizzie overtake. She landed hard on the other side and slammed on her brakes, coming to a stop with an earsplitting screech. Pain exploded through her underside and she was sure her shocks were ruined.

Lizzie was parked only inches from where she'd landed, idling quietly. Her back was turned and she appeared to be sniffing at a cluster of poppies.

Vee rose up on her axles, surprised by how weak she suddenly felt. "Lizzie? Are you okay?"

The old woman turned to her with a smile. "Oh! Hello, dearie. When did you get here?"

* * *

It was nearly a half hour later by the time a hobbling Vee and a cactus-coated Lightning steered a tipsy Lizzie into Doc's clinic. The Hudson Hornet looked the three of them over with a raised brow.

"All right," he said with a sigh, "who's got what problem and which one is the worst?"

Lightning wasted no time volunteering himself. "Come on, Doc! I'm dying here!" he whined. "I mean look at me! I've got cactus in places I didn't even know I had!"

Doc smirked at him. "If you didn't know you had them, then how do you know you've got cactus there?"

"Because, I -" Lightning blushed and lowered his voice, "I'm not wearing a skid plate!"

Vee overheard him and had to bite her lip to suppress a laugh.

Doc rolled his eyes. "How many times have I told you not to race without one?" Lightning blushed deeper and shrugged. "Well, seems to me it would be pointless to remove all that cactus since you obviously aren't learning anything from it, so I'm afraid you're going to have to wait while I take care of these two first."

Both Lightning's and Vee's protests canceled each other out. Doc herded the young man out the door and closed it, then turned back to the two women.

"Now then, what seems to be the problem?"

Vee glanced uncertainly at Lizzie before attempting an answer. "Um, she's… drunk?"

Doc smiled. "Yes, that's what I figured. All right Lizzie, let's have a look at you." He rolled closer to her and switched his high beams on, examining her eyes. Lizzie, more wobbly than usual, backed away blinking.

"Heh what - Doc? Is that you? Sorry, shop's closed right now. Come back in the morning." With a wide yawn the old Model T settled low on her axles and shut her eyes. A moment later she was snoring softly.

"We'll let her sleep it off," Doc said, turning to Vee. "She rarely drinks, but she's quite the lightweight when she does."

"Tell me about it," Vee replied. "She just had one beer and next thing you know, she's tossing Lightning into a cactus patch!"

Doc chuckled. He drove to the front door and opened it. Lightning stood outside, attempting to pull a cactus needle out of a tire with his teeth. When he saw Doc his face lit up and he moved toward the door.

Doc held up a tire. "Not so fast, Rookie. I need you to roll Lizzie back home."

Lightning's face fell. "Why can't Mater do it?"

"Lizzie's too fragile. Last time Mater gave her a tow he ripped her bumper clean off. Besides that, she's sleeping. You don't want her to wake up again while she's still drunk, do you?"

"Oh hell no!" Lightning shook his hood furiously.

"Then be a good kid and roll her home, would you? I'd do it myself but I've got another matter to attend to right now."

"I'll do it," Vee volunteered. With some effort she drove around Lizzie and positioned herself behind her, ready to push. The pain she had felt earlier had dulled to a throbbing ache, but there was no ignoring it.

Doc frowned. "No, you stay here," he said sternly. "I don't want you driving another foot until I have a look at those shocks."

"Damn," Vee murmured. "All right. Fine."

After he had turned the dozing Lizzie over to Lightning and closed the clinic door, Doc drove over to a tool chest and started digging through it.

"Go ahead and get on the lift," he mumbled, without looking up from his search. It was a moment before he noticed Vee's reluctance to obey this simple request. He looked at her curiously. "Well? What's the holdup?" he asked. "You _are_ wearing a skid plate, aren't you?"

Vee's look of uncertainty was replaced with a smirk. "Of course! Who do you take me for, Mr. Cactus McQueen?"

Doc laughed. "Well all right then! What're you waiting for?"

Vee drove onto the lift. Despite the pain in her axles, she cringed low when it started to rise. Her fear of heights led her to avoid the lift whenever possible. When it was finally over, she waited tensely for Doc to lower her to the floor while he gave her the usual doctor's warning to "not do anything strenuous for a few days." Vee mumbled in agreement, but it was just her luck that the old Hornet chose to continue his lecture.

"Forgive me for saying, but you're wearing the hell out of those shocks. Next time you're having problems, do us both a favor and don't wait so long to come to me." The lift began to lower finally and Vee breathed a sigh of relief. She had to resist the urge to jump the last few feet to the ground. After just having her shocks fixed, she had the feeling Doc wouldn't be so quick to repair them a second time.

Safely on solid ground again, Vee thanked him. Her tank churned slightly and she was eager to exit the clinic for some fresh air. Doc squinted at her.

"Are you all right?" he asked, with an air of fatherly concern. "You look a little pale."

Vee shook her hood and forced a small chuckle. "Oh, it's nothing. I tried a new flavor of Fillmore's organic fuel this morning and I guess it didn't agree with my tank."

"Well, if you're sure that's all it is, because there's a bit of a flu bug that's going around and you may have caught it."

"Maybe," Vee replied, though she looked doubtful.

"Answer me this: is this the first time you've been sick, or is this an ongoing problem?"

"Ongoing, I guess."

Doc raised a brow. "You guess?"

Vee shrugged. "Well, I felt kinda cruddy yesterday too, off and on. And there was that one day last week where I felt really-super-mega-cruddy…" She started to roll off the lowered lift, but Doc stopped her with a tire.

"Hold on," he said sternly. His sky blue eyes held her own violet eyes with a piercing gaze. Vee stared back at him and her tank churned again.

* * *

There was a rosy glow in the western sky and the very first stars were beginning to appear as Vee drove alone down Route 66 in the direction of Lightning's racing headquarters. The wild wind had died down to a gentle evening breeze, bringing with it the mysterious scent of some faraway pine forest. Vee breathed in the desert air, cool and refreshing, a stark contrast to the stifling medicinal smell of the clinic from which she had just come.

The newly finished building materialized before her out of the deep evening shadows. Vee sped up when she saw it, and as she did her RPMs began to race in a way that had nothing to do with her speed. Approaching the building, she noted that it was closed and mouthed a silent "thank you" for that fact. She didn't think she could deal with another vehicle right now, much less the very vehicle she had just driven out here to see.

Behind the racing headquarters building, beyond the paved, half-mile practice track, stood a row of six semi-sized garages. Vee's engine fluttered at the sight of the large red shape emerging from the farthest garage. Mack. As she drove out to meet him, she found herself going slower and slower and slower… until her engine died, and then she was rolling the last several feet toward him. The big rig's smile on seeing her slowly slid from his face when he noticed the lack of cheer on her own features.

"Hey Vee," he said, flashing a quick smile that faded again just as quickly. He watched one corner of her mouth twitch in an upward movement, but there came no smile. Not even a hint of one. Mack stared at her. She was as unreadable as the dust beneath his tires.

"Something wrong?"

Vee dropped her eyes to her hood. The last rays of the sun splayed across its surface like moonlight on a pond. When she looked up again, her eyes were wide and shining. "Mack," she whispered. Her voice was hoarse. She swallowed a lump in her throat. The sun was gone now, lost beyond the hills. Her eyes still shone. "I'm pregnant."


	5. Three Halves of a Whole

CHAPTER FIVE:  
THREE HALVES OF A WHOLE

Mack stared unblinking at the Chrysler standing before him. A lone cricket chirped mournfully from somewhere close by. Weeds whispered in the evening breeze and a tumbleweed rolled lazily past before he finally spoke.

"What?"

Vee said nothing. Mack continued to stare at her, mouth agape. "Are - are you sure?" he asked, his voice little more than a squeak that sounded very out-of-place coming from the semi truck.

Vee nodded. "Positive. Doc double-checked. I'm pregnant."

Mack wasn't sure in the dim twilight, but he thought that she looked as though she had been, or was about to start, crying. He blinked several times and shook his hood violently, as though by doing so he could wake himself from this surreal dream. Yes. That's it. Just a dream. It had to be. She couldn't be pregnant! There was just no way…

"But - but - how?" he sputtered.

For the first time since their meeting Vee smirked. "I take it your dad left out a few details from sex ed." She gave a wry chuckle. "With a dad like that I'm not surprised by a lot of things you do, but I'd expect you to at the very least understand how these things happen."

Mack blushed. "I know how it works, but… Chrysler. I just can't believe it."

Vee snorted. "_You_ can't believe it? _I'm _the one with the baby inside me, not you!" she said indignantly. "_I'm _the one who has to carry it and give birth to it and raise it! _You_ have it easy! _You_ don't have to do any of that stuff!"

Mack winced at the rising anger in her tone. "Well, _you_ don't have to either, you know," he said timidly. Vee gasped.

"Are you saying I should just - get rid of it?" she asked, staring up at him in horror.

Mack gasped too and shook his hood. "No! Of course not! I mean, it's your choice, not mine. But," he lowered his voice and rolled closer to her, "whatever you decide to do, I'll support you."

Vee didn't appear to be convinced. "Even if I decide to keep it?"

"Especially if you decide to keep it," he insisted, moving even closer to her until he was able to reach out and touch her tire with his. "After all, it's my baby too… right?"

Vee pulled away slightly and gave him a mock scowl. "Who else's would it be?" she demanded hotly, expertly feigning offense.

Mack blushed again and shrugged. "I don't know… Luigi's?" Vee responded by slugging his fender. "Ow! Jeez, I was just kidding. It's Guido's, isn't it?"

Far from being in a laughing mood, Vee growled at him. "Don't even joke about that!" she shouted. "It's yours! It has to be! That's what makes it even worse!"

Mack blinked. "Excuse me?"

Vee sighed and shook her hood. Suddenly she sounded very, very tired. "I didn't mean it like that," she murmured, staring off across the darkening desert. "There were so many times I could have gotten pregnant, but I didn't. But now that I am…" she looked up at him again and smiled faintly. "I'm glad it's with you."

Mack returned her smile. He leaned forward to nuzzle her, but she turned away abruptly, and this time he was certain he could hear her sobbing. His heart sank. "Vee? What's wrong?"

She didn't answer him. He laid a large tire on her backside, intending to turn her around, but thought better of it in light of her condition. Instead, he let it rest there gently as a means of comfort.

Vee calmed down momentarily and slowly turned to face him again. "I'm glad you're the one who did it, but - Mack, have you ever even heard of a sedan and a semi having a baby together?"

Mack thought for a moment. "Not really," he admitted. "Come to think of it, I've never even heard of a sedan and a semi having - well - _anything_ together. Except you and me."

Vee sighed. "That's what I was afraid of. Doc said the same thing. I think he found it hard to believe that you could be the father."

Mack smirked. "Great. I don't know who should be more offended. Me or you."

"Well, I don't really blame him. A couple like us is pretty much unheard of."

"I don't see why. Most big rigs wouldn't think twice about dating a car."

Vee gave him a sympathetic look. "But most cars would, unfortunately."

This time Mack sighed. "Yeah. Your fans aren't going to be too happy if they ever find out."

"If?" Vee snorted. "A gal can only hide the fact that she's pregnant for so long. In about five or six months they'll be wondering whether I've just put on a lot of weight, and in ten months they're going to be surprised as hell when they see me suddenly skinny again with a baby by my side."

Mack stared at her in surprise. "Ten months? That's all it takes?"

Vee stared back. "Well, ten months can be an awful long time, but yeah. That's it, for most cars. Why?"

Mack frowned. "Well, for big rigs it usually takes twelve months. How far along are you, anyway?"

"About a month. Doc figures I'll be due around mid December."

"But that's - one, two three, four, fi - that's nine months from now!" Vee nodded. "If you were a big rig, you'd be due exactly a year after conception."

"Ten months is quite long enough," she assured him. "Although one year _would_ be pretty cool. Then it would have a good chance of being born on Valentine's Day."

Mack raised a questioning brow. "Are you saying - is that when it was conceived?"

Vee smiled. "It's the only time it could have been. Remember? We didn't have a whole lot of time to ourselves last month to… well, you know."

Both vehicles blushed in the gloom. Then Mack thought of something.

"But if cars are only pregnant for ten months, and semis for twelve months… where does that leave you?"

Vee shrugged. "Well, since I'm a car, and I'm the one who's pregnant, I'd have to guess ten months."

"Yeah, but - the baby's half semi, right? So what if it takes longer than that?"

Vee shrugged again. "I don't know. I don't even have any idea what this kid's gonna look like when it comes out. I mean, look at us! What do you get when you cross a Chrysler and a Mack truck?"

"I dunno. A Mysler? Or a Crack?"

"It's not a joke, Mack!" Vee snapped. "I'm serious! I don't think this has ever happened before!"

"I'm sure it has," he mused. "It's just that we haven't heard about it. I mean, just look at all the car prostitutes that hang out at truck stops. Odds are at least a few of them have been knocked up by -" Mack shut his mouth when he realized what he was saying, though not soon enough, judging by the look on Vee's face. She was glaring so heatedly at him that he could feel himself burning with shame.

"I'm sorry. I - I didn't mean… you're not… it wasn't…"

Vee placed a tire on his lips to silence him. "Mack, just shut up, okay? You're not helping. I know you're trying to, though." She removed her tire and gave him a peck on the cheek, sighing sadly for the umpteenth time. "I just wish I knew what I'm in for here. All most cars have to worry about is picking out the right colors for the baby's room. They can't wait to find out if they're gonna have a boy or a girl, or what model it's going to be. And here I can't even begin to guess what _make_ I'm having!"

"Well," Mack said slowly, "there's usually ways of figuring this sort of thing out. I may be a bit rusty, but remember in Biology class when we were learning about genetics? There was a way you could figure out how your offspring are gonna turn out. I think it was some kind of a square…"

Vee snorted. "Punnet square," she confirmed. "As I recall they didn't exactly go into detail when it came to crossing two totally different types of vehicles."

Mack shook his hood. "I dunno. I remember _something _about crossing a helicopter with a forklift."

"That was a joke, Mack. The teacher only did that equation to be funny. Remember? One of the possible outcomes was a flying box-shaped thing with, like, a tractor's face and an extra pair of fork blades that doubled as wings. Or something like that. Someone drew a picture and I distinctly remember you laughing your ass off at it."

"Oh yeah. I remember that now." Mack chuckled, then stopped abruptly. "Dodge, I sure hope this kid doesn't turn out looking anything like that. Or like Robbie Dieselman."

Vee blinked. "Robbie Dieselman? What does he have to do with it?"

"He's the guy who drew that picture, remember?"

"Oh!" This time Vee chuckled. "No, I'm sure that, between you and me, this baby won't turn out _that _bad."

Mack nodded. "Yeah. But still, I'm having a hard time trying to picture a half semi baby."

"You mean a _semi_ semi baby," Vee corrected. "Semi means half, you know."

"Hey, I resemble that remark!" Mack said haughtily and Vee laughed. "Seriously, that never did make any sense to me."

"What didn't?"

"The fact that I'm called a semi truck. How can I only be half a truck when I'm three times bigger than most pickup trucks?"

Vee shrugged. "Got me there." It was almost completely dark out now, so she turned her low beams on. Mack turned his on too.

"It's getting pretty late," he murmured. "You wanna stay with me tonight?"

"It's not even 7:30 yet," Vee argued, "but sure. I'd be happy to. Somehow spending the night alone seems out of the question now."

"Well, technically, you wouldn't be alone," Mack pointed out, lifting a tire to gesture in the vague direction of her side.

Vee smirked. "That's true, but I can't help feeling all alone in this."

"I'm here too, Vee. For both of you. Remember that."

Vee smiled a genuine smile and leaned against him with a sigh. "Thank you."

Mack's engine warmed as he leaned into her in turn. He closed his eyes and moved a front tire to gently caress her smooth side, just in front of her rear wheel well. Where her baby - _their _baby - was now growing. He could almost feel its tiny tires pushing back against his as it moved restlessly inside her, longing to get out. Though it would be quite a while before he could actually feel anything, the very prospect of what was to come filled Mack with keen anticipation. And love.

He opened his eyes suddenly and pulled away from his friend. "Um, 'scuse me a minute," he mumbled. "I need to tidy up a bit. I wasn't expecting company." _And_ _I certainly wasn't expecting to become a father today either, _Mack mused, but said nothing more as he drove into his garage and started clearing things away to make room for Vee.

The newly built structure was a far better home than the old lean-to had been. Four sturdy walls, a door, and a large enough floor plan to allow some driving space, as well as company. The only downside, if any, was having his parents living just a few garages down. There were six garages in all, and the end ones were the largest, at least twice the size of the other four that stood between them. The Trucker family had been given the two biggest ones free of charge; Mack in one garage and Midge and Gaspar in the other. The rest were reserved for the drivers of visiting racecars.

Vee lived in town, in a small rental house she had leased from Sally after having lived in one of the rooms at the Cozy Cone for nearly a year. Though bigger than her previous abode, it was still rather snug and ever since she had become a professional racecar she had been planning on having a much larger house built - one at least big enough for a semi. After all, she spent about as much time in Mack's new garage as she did in her current home, if not more.

Mack kept a fairly neat garage. Though by no means immaculate, it could still put Doc Hudson's garage to shame. Like most truckers, Mack had little use or desire for material possessions. As often as Vee came over, and that was quite often, she knew as well as he did that there was usually no need to "tidy up." Aside from brushing a few crumbs off the bed or scrubbing out a stain, anyway.

Having his very own soft, cozy bed to sleep on (and share with Vee) was a pretty big deal to Mack. To most big rigs such comfort was a foreign concept, no more than a distant memory from when they were toddlers, snuggled securely in a nest of pillows and blankets their mothers had made for them. Mack himself had always been content with sleeping outdoors, lying on the cold, hard ground and exposed to the elements, because it was all he knew. Until now.

In the back of his garage, an enormous mattress lay, covered with, of all things, a lacy lavender comforter. He had bought it for Vee last Christmas, even knowing that she loathed most girly things. And, even though she'd insisted that she loved it, the quilt had somehow ended up on Mack's bed rather than hers. It was just as well, though, since she slept in his bed more often than her own. Besides that, he actually liked having it here, now that he was used to it.

Mack drove over to the bed and lifted up a corner of the mattress. He reached a tire underneath, feeling around for a moment before withdrawing a small black box. He stared down at it for a long time, thinking. This was it. The one thing that had been keeping him awake at night for the past month, it's mere presence beneath him as he lay alone at night was enough to drive him mad. And not simply because this little box made such an impossibly big lump in his mattress. No. It was a lot more than that.

"So, did you hide them yet?"

Mack jumped and spun around. Vee was standing in the open doorway with a smirk.

"Uh - hide what?" he asked, at the same time shoving the box under the comforter. _She couldn't possibly know about it… could she?_

"Your girly magazines," Vee answered, driving toward him.

Mack blushed. "Wh - I don't have any - huh?"

Vee chuckled. "I know you don't. I was just messing with you. When most guys say they're just tidying up, they're usually trying to hide something."

"Oh." Mack chuckled nervously. "Oh, no. Nothing to hide here! In fact…" he turned toward the mattress and flipped the edge of the comforter over, exposing the box. "I've got something here that I've been meaning to give you."

Vee glanced at the bed. From where she stood, she could just make out something small and black lying on it, but Mack stood in the way so she couldn't drive closer and look. The big rig cleared his throat loudly, more out of nerves than anything, and looked down at her. _All right Mack, this is it. It's now or never…_

Lifting the box off the bed with a trembling tire, Mack set it down in front of her, taking a deep, calming breath as he did so. Vee eyed the box curiously, but said nothing. Still trembling, Mack lifted the lid, revealing a dazzling diamond lug nut. Vee gasped. Mack took her tire in his, gazing deeply into her violet eyes.

"Vee… will you marry me?"

It seemed like an eternity in which she just stared back at him, speechless. Then -

"Oh Mack, yes! Yes! Of course I'll marry you!" With a joyful sob she flung her tires around him, embracing him with all her might. Mack hugged her back, tears of joy brimming his eyes as well.

The next few minutes were spent trying to attach the engagement lug nut to Vee's left front hubcap. She couldn't help but laugh at his attempts.

"Jeez, Mack, for a guy with such large tires, you'd think you could at least manage to get a lug nut on. I'm starting to wonder if you really did make all those corsages for me yourself or if you got someone else to do it for you!"

Mack chuckled despite his embarrassment. "I did make them. Honest! Only at the time I wasn't exactly trembling with excitement like I am right now." A moment later the lug nut was securely in place. Vee lifted her tire up to admire it and Mack seized hold of it, planting a tender kiss in the center of her hubcap.

"I meant to ask you a lot sooner, you know," he said quietly. "On Valentine's Day. I - I was all ready to propose, but then… then somehow I just lost my nerve." He glanced away guiltily.

Vee smirked. "Well, you couldn't have lost all your nerve that night, considering that was the night you got me pregnant."

Far from rousing a chuckle from him, Vee was dismayed to see him hang his hood in shame. "I'm sorry, Vee," he murmured. "I messed everything up. It was never supposed to happen this way." He gave her tire another kiss, followed by a gentle caress. "If I had just asked you that night like I was planning to, none of this would have happened."

Vee smirked again. "Somehow I don't quite see how this little lug nut, beautiful as it is, could have prevented pregnancy."

Mack blushed. "Well, maybe not that, but - it would have sounded a lot better than me asking you now, after you told me the news. I mean, what are people going to think?"

"In this day and age? Probably nothing."

Mack didn't seem entirely convinced. He sighed wearily. "I still feel bad about it, though." He pulled he closer, gently, and nuzzled her cheek with his grille. "I really was going to ask you that night. Honest to Dodge I was."

Vee nuzzled him back. "I know," she purred. "And I was going to say yes."

They fell asleep together, side by side, so close to each other, both physically and emotionally, that it was almost impossible to say where one ended and the other began. They were closer than ever now, the two best friends who had become soul mates, and now, with the addition of a new life forming between them - a life created by their love - they had become three halves of a whole.

* * *

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HOORAY FOR MUSHY UPDATES!! XD So yeah, I took some more liberties with car biology. Everyone's always making them pregnant for nine months like us humans, so I decided to go for a ten-month gestation period, for smaller vehicles like Vee, anyway. And a whole year for big rigs. As large as they are, I would think most vehicles would have a long pregnancy. Horses, for example, take 11 months, and elephants 22 months, and so on.

Also, yes, I am fully aware that the concept of a diamond lug nut instead of an engagement ring is not a new idea. I've come across it in more than one Cars fanfic, so please don't get mad at me for "stealing" the idea. Consider it a compliment instead. It is a pretty good idea, I think. After all, there really aren't a whole lot of other options. How about engagement windshield wipers? XD

BTW thank you all once again for the wonderful and encouraging reviews! I know I don't say that nearly as often as I should. Sorry 'bout that. Now hurry on over to DA and check out the look on Mack's face when Vee dropped the bomb on him! It's classic! At least, I think it is. XP


	6. Wedding Bells and Tiny Tires

CHAPTER SIX:  
WEDDING BELLS AND TINY TIRES

"Just five more minutes, Mom," mumbled a half-asleep Mack. The semi shifted on the mattress, splaying his tires out beneath him and arching his fifth wheel as he stretched and yawned. Vee chuckled and nudged him again. Mack groaned. "One more minute, pleeeaasssse!"

"I'm afraid it can't wait another minute," Vee told him. Her tank churned unpleasantly and she nudged him even harder. "Unless you don't mind getting puked on, I seriously recommend moving out of my way."

Mack's eyes snapped open. One look at Vee's pale face and he scrambled away from her. The comforter tangled around one of his rear tires, causing him to yank it out from under her when he moved. Vee yelped and tumbled off the bed.

Mack gasped. "Chrysler, are you okay?" he asked. He reached a tire out to help her up.

"Well, that didn't help any," she replied, looking slightly green. She made an ugly face as she fought back another wave of nausea. "I'll - urgh - be right back." And in the blink of an eye she was gone. A moment later Mack heard wretching noises coming from somewhere outside. He grimaced at the sound and quickly busied himself with making the bed.

A few minutes later he drove outside to check on Vee. He hadn't bothered to look at the clock, but judging from the sun's position in the sky it had to be nearly ten a.m., if not later. Though he rarely slept past eight, Mack had had too much on his mind (and in his bed) to allow for a full night's rest. Not that he could complain. Vee certainly provided a good distraction from his thoughts, and the fact that she had been the inspiration for said thoughts in the first place testified to just how good a distraction it had been.

He found her parked at the edge of the track that stood between the garages and the main building of Lightning's racing headquarters. She was staring across it as though she were the sole spectator of a race that only she could see. And indeed she could almost see her competitors whiz past her in a shimmering blur, could nearly hear the roar of engines and the screams from the crowd.

Her tank fluttered again, then settled. Far more real to her now was the sensation of morning sickness and the presence of the baby growing inside her. Vee couldn't help but wonder how this very unexpected and life-altering event would affect her racing career. She had little time to dwell on it, however, as the sound of a familiar diesel engine roused her from her thoughts.

Mack drove up behind her. "Feeling better?"

Vee shrugged. "Eh."

"Oh. Well then, I guess going to Flo's for Sunday brunch wouldn't appeal to you right now, would it?"

"Not particularly, no." She turned to him suddenly and smiled. "Not to eat, anyway, but it would be the perfect place to tell everyone the news!" Mack smiled back. Sunday morning at Flo's was the one time and place where every car in town could easily be found.

* * *

A half hour later Mack and Vee arrived at the café. The entire population of Radiator Springs was there, with the exception of Doc and Lizzie. Mater surrendered his spot by the end pump so that the two could park side by side, Vee just under the awning and Mack beside it. Flo noticed them right away and rolled over to them.

"Well look who finally decided to show up at the crack of noon!" she declared, a sassy smile on her gleaming chrome lips. "I was just about to send out a search party for you two!"

"Not me, man!" Ramone chimed in. "If I know what they was up to, and I bet I do, I wouldn't be goin' up and disturbing them. You know what I'm sayin', ese?" He gave them a wink. Mack blushed, but did not respond.

Ramone grinned. "Oh yeah, I know that look!" he said with a snicker. "I was right, man! What'd I tell you?" He gave Flo a nudge and she slugged him in return.

"What can I getcha, hun?" Flo asked Vee.

"Oh, nothing for me, thanks," the Chrysler replied, still looking somewhat pale.

Mack brushed his tire against hers in a comforting gesture. "I'll have the usual," he said.

Vee looked around the lot. Everyone was busy either laughing at some joke, chewing their food, or chatting up a neighbor. Aside from Flo, Ramone and Mater, none of them seemed aware of her presence. That is until she noticed Doc watching her a short distance away. The Hornet had just arrived from his clinic with a shakier-than-usual Lizzie in tow. Judging by the extra large, extra black cup of coffee Flo served her, the old Model T was suffering from a nasty hangover.

After seeing her settled into a shady parking spot under the awning, Doc glanced over at Vee. It took her a moment to realize that he was staring at her front left hubcap. He met her gaze with a knowing smile. She blushed and smiled back. Mack nudged her.

"You ready?" he whispered. Vee nodded. Together the two drove toward the café and parked in front of the building. From here they had a clear view of all the patrons, and they in turn could easily see Mack and Vee. But even so, no one appeared to take any interest in them, that is until Mack blared his horn. The crowd startled and fell deathly silent. All eyes were on the red semi now, though he wasn't ashamed in the least. Vee eyed him suspiciously.

"Completely involuntary, huh?" she murmured. "Just like last night?"

Mack blushed, but now that he had everyone's attention he quickly turned away to address the crowd. "We have a couple of announcements to make," he said loudly, moving closer to Vee as he spoke. One tire reached out to hers and touched it. He took a deep breath. "Vee and I are getting married!"

"WAAAHOOOOOOO!" Mater's raucous cheer rang out the loudest amid the excited din that followed. Mack and Vee both laughed as he spun circles in front of them, swinging his tow hook around, shouting to the heavens in his glee. Mack wrapped a tire around Vee and pulled her close. She met him halfway in a kiss that roused several whistles and cat calls from the crowd, particularly from Ramone, who had raised himself up on his hydraulics to see over Luigi. Mater was still cheering loudly. Mack honked again, making him jump.

"We do have another announcement, you know," Mack said with a grin. He turned to Vee. "You wanna tell them?"

Vee blushed slightly but nodded. She turned to face the crowd. "We're having a baby!"

The second round of cheers was much louder than the first, so loud that even Mater couldn't compete. "Well now that were some perdy fast work right there!" he exclaimed. "Ah don't reckon Ah ever seen no one make a baby that quick before!" Mack stared at him in alarm. Mater chuckled. "Ah's jist kiddin', Mack. Ah know'd ya two hadda done a lot more'n that." He then turned to Vee and gave her a friendly slug on the tire.

"Congrajeelations, Miss Vee! Ah'm happier'n a tornado in a trailer park fer ya!" Vee grinned and slugged him back, as was their usual routine. "And tuh think, this lil town's about tuh get one car bigger! Why, Ah don't think we've had any young 'uns born in Radiator Springs since - uhhh… Hey Aunt Lizzie! What year was Red born?"

Nearby, Sarge rolled his eyes. "Great," he mumbled. "That's all this town needs; another snot-nosed little hotrodder tearing up the road."

"Ignore him!" Fillmore drawled, unable to contain his own excitement at the news. "The children are our future, man."

Sarge grumbled something that the bus interpreted as negative and chided him for it. "Say whatever you want, man, but I know for a fact how much you love kids, especially your niece Rosie…"

"Cram a muffler in it, hippie!" barked the Jeep, though there was no mistaking the slight upward curve to his normally stiff bumper.

There was a sudden shout, followed by the deafening honk of a semi horn. Mack and Vee both looked up from the immediate crowd surrounding them to see Midge come barreling toward them with Gaspar right behind.

"Oh MACK!" Midge squealed, throwing her tires around her son. Mack blushed and hugged her back. Tears of joy slid down her hood and splashed on his wheel wells. "Oh my little baby… I'm so happy…" she whispered between sobs.

"Little baby? HA!" Gaspar laughed. He nearly ran Mater over in his attempt to reach Mack. "Not my boy! He's a man! A man with his own little baby on the way!" He punched Mack in the fender, but Mack was in too good a mood (and being hugged too tightly by Midge) to return the gesture. "Yes sir, Trucker men know how to get the job done!" he added with a grin.

Midge let go of Mack finally and glared at her husband. "Really Gaspar, that's no way to talk! You're about to become a grandfather, for Chrysler's sake!"

"And for this Chrysler's sake I'll be the best grandpa ever!" Gaspar vowed as he pulled Vee toward him in a crushing hug. Vee gasped as the wind was squeezed out of her, but she managed a chuckle and hugged him back.

"Whoa! Easy, Dad!" Mack spoke up. "She's pregnant, remember?"

"Pregnant with my grandkid!" Gaspar said proudly.

"Yeah, well, be careful with her!"

"I am! Vee's a lot tougher than you give her credit for, ya know." And as if to prove his point he gave her a rather painful-looking hood noogie.

Mack scowled. "Do you not understand that there's a baby growing inside her?"

Gaspar snorted. "Oh, you worry too much! Kid's probably no bigger'n lug nut right now anyway. Why, when your mama was pregnant with you that didn't stop us from getting - oof!" he was silenced by a thump from Midge. Gaspar blushed. "So uh, when's the baby due?"

"Mid December," Vee replied, finally freeing herself from the big rig's hold. Mack gave her an apologetic look for his dad's behavior. Midge was next to hug her, though she was far gentler than her husband had been.

"I always knew you were the one," she said breathlessly. "From the very first day Mack brought you home from school to help him with that English assignment. The way you two were together; so happy, so perfect. I just knew."

For a moment Vee was speechless, then a small but joyful sob escaped her as she found herself returning the semi's hug. "Mom…" she whispered, and a single tear slid down her hood. Midge loosened her hold and looked down at the lavender car in surprise. Vee blushed and blinked away another tear. "I'm sorry," she sniffled. "I didn't mean… m-my mom said the same thing the night of our prom. I just - I just wish she was here now to see that she was right."

Midge barely remembered the Chrysler's mother, who had died in a collision nearly five years earlier. Vee sighed sadly and the big rig pulled her into another hug. "She knows," she whispered. "And she's glad… and so am I."

Vee sobbed again, though this time it was with a smile that stretched from headlight to headlight. "Thanks, Mom."

Next in the long line of vehicles waiting to congratulate her were Luigi and Guido. "I cannot-a believe it!" Luigi exclaimed. "A wedding! And a little bambino! How bellissimo! I can-a already hear the sound of-a wedding bells and-a tiny tires rolling around -" the little Fiat gasped, then suddenly he was grinning wider than ever. "Oh, the tires! Do you know what-a this means, Guido? We will-a be up to our windshields in tires! Whitewall wedding tires, maternity tires, and-a …" he gasped again to catch his breath, "BABY TIRES!" Luigi swooned from the excitement and toppled over. Guido caught him with his fork blades. "I am-a so happy! I cannot breathe!"

Vee chuckled and rolled her eyes. Once Guido had carted Luigi away, Doc pulled up. He didn't cheer, and he didn't congratulate her. His smile said it all. Vee smiled back at the car she had come to look up to as more than a mentor, but a father as well. "Doc," she said, then paused, her hood flushing pink. "Mack and I have talked it over and, well, we want you to be the one to marry us. Will you do it?"

The Hornet's look of surprise was quickly replaced by another smile, one far bigger than before. "I'd be honored," he replied, and hugged her.

Vee turned pinker as she struggled to get her next question out. "And if it's not too much to ask, would you also - um -"

Doc chuckled. "Of course I'll be your doctor. What kind of car would I be if I said no? In fact, I'm going to be looking after you and your baby whether you like it or not, missy!"

Vee laughed and hugged him again. "Thanks, Doc."

"Oh, don't thank me just yet," he replied, though he was still smiling. "Knowing you, I don't think you're going to be too happy with your choice in prenatal care a few months down the road."

Mack parked beside her with a smirk. "Good luck getting this one to listen to you," he said to Doc. "I've got my tires full trying to deal with her right now!" Vee laughed again and punched his fender.

* * *

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Man, I can't believe I actually made myself cry while writing that scene between Vee and Midge! Did I do that to anyone else? Please review and please check out the art on DA. Thanks!


	7. Green

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A/N: Wow. I can't believe it's been four f--ing weeks since I've updated. Funny, it doesn't feel like it's been nearly that long. Sorry about the delay. I started writing this chapter about a week ago, and only got about half way through it before… I don't know. I can usually write a whole chapter in one sitting, or no more than a couple of days. I just HATE writing racing scenes. Grrr! They're so incredibly boring and repetitive. Hope y'all enjoy it, 'cuz I sure didn't! XP

CHAPTER SEVEN:  
GREEN

The trailer jolted slightly as Mack unhitched it from his fifth wheel. He drove around to one side, glancing about uneasily. "Looks like a pretty tough crowd today," he murmured. "You sure you wanna go out there?"

Vee's smirk went unseen through the tinted window. "Will you stop worrying already? I'm just gonna be driving around in circles at two hundred miles per hour for a while, that's all. Pretty boring, actually, but you make it sound so dangerous."

Mack's smirk was clearly visible to Vee. "And you make it sound like a cruise through the park. I was talking about your fans. There's a lot of randy-looking guys out here. Want me to run 'em over?"

Vee chuckled. "Only if they get close enough to fog up my mirrors." She took one last look at her reflection in them before hitting the switch to open the trailer door. Rolling down the ramp was like wading into a tumultuous ocean of gleaming chrome and flashing lights. It roared and rolled forward and sucked her in, ebbing only when an enormous red life preserver flung himself in to keep her afloat.

A dusty white pickup with several recently emptied beer cans rolling around in his bed boldly approached Vee without any fear of Mack. He reeked of liquor and axle grease. "Hey baby," he slurred. "Shign my shkid plate?"

Mack moved forward with an intimidating scowl, though the truck seemed completely unfazed.

"Mmmaybe after the race," Vee said with a forced smile.

Cheers, whistles and catcalls followed her well past the sign that read _Racers and personnel only beyond this point. _Finally finding a moment alone, Mack turned to his fiancée with an anxious look. "See what I mean? I think you take a bigger risk driving through that crowd there than you do with racing."

Vee rolled her eyes. "It's nothing I ain't used to. Back in L.A. I put up with guys like that on a daily basis. Okay, so maybe not more than one at a time, but trust me. I know how to handle them." Rather than reassuring Mack, like she'd meant to, her words seemed to have the opposite effect. She rolled closer to him and lowered her voice. "I could always tell them I'm engaged, you know. _And_ pregnant. That'll turn 'em off."

Mack shook his hood. "But then you'd have to tell them who you're engaged to, and I have a feeling - call it a hunch - that your fans, and the press especially, won't be too thrilled that the hottest car on the tracks is marrying a semi truck."

Vee snorted. "Do you really think I give a tractor's ass about that?"

"But if they ever find out -"

"You mean WHEN they find out. We can't keep it a secret forever, Mack. All our friends know, and it's only a matter of time before the rest of the world knows too. I mean, what do you think everyone will say when they notice I'm pregnant? It won't be long before it starts to show, and then they'll all be demanding to know who the father is. And then what am I supposed to tell them? That it just magically happened?"

Mack shrugged. "Well, I think that sounds a lot better than telling them your driver knocked you up."

"Which I would never say. I'd just tell them that my fiancé is the father of my baby, and so-freaking-what if the man I love happens to be my driver!" Vee said heatedly.

Mack held a tire up to silence her. A voice on the loudspeaker was calling for all racecars to assemble at the starting line. Leak Less and Nitroade cruised by, followed shortly by the pace car. The racing official gave Mack a suspicious look, causing the big rig to blush and back away.

Once the car had gone, he moved closer to her again, still looking somewhat ashamed. Vee noticed and nuzzled his fender reassuringly. Mack was too tense now to return the gesture in earnest, though his lips somehow found hers in a small but grateful kiss. "Be careful out there," he warned. "Remember, you're driving for two now."

Vee grinned. "Don't worry, we will." She started to head toward the starting line when Mack laid a tire on her bumper and pulled her back to him in a hug.

"I really wish you wouldn't race," he murmured, holding her close.

Vee sighed. "And I really wish you'd stop worrying so much. We'll be fine, Mack. Honest. Doc said it was important for me to stay in shape, especially now while I can still race. I'll quit in a few months. Before I start to show. I promise." After a hesitant pause she spoke again, though whether she was trying to convince Mack or herself, she wasn't sure. "I'd stop sooner, but - but I don't want to fall too far behind this season. I'm too close to the Piston Cup already to quit now."

This time Mack sighed. "Is that really so important? It's not like you'd have to quit racing forever, you know. Just take some time off for the baby, and then come back."

Vee shook her hood. "You make it sound so simple, but it's not. I mean, look at Doc. He's a far greater racecar than I could ever hope to be, but just look at the reception he got when he came back after his crash."

Mack opened his mouth to argue, but could think of nothing to say. She had him there, he had to admit. Whether he liked it or not, the idea of Vee losing her place in the racing world before she'd even earned it was too great a possibility to ignore.

"ATTENTION ALL RACECARS! PLEASE TAKE YOUR PLACE AT THE STARTING LINE!" called the loudspeaker again. "LAST CALL! ALL RACECARS PLEASE TAKE YOUR PLACE AT THE STARTING LINE IMMEDIATELY! THE RACE BEGINS IN EXACTLY ONE MINUTE! ALL LATE ENTRANTS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED!"

Four or five of Vee's competitors zoomed past following the announcement. Without another word, she gave Mack a quick peck on the cheek and took off after them.

* * *

"And they're _off!_"

The earsplitting roar of over a dozen engines drowned out the roar of the crowd.

"They're coming up on the second turn now, and look at this!" Bob Cutlass exclaimed. "Not one lap in and Vroom has already seized the lead!"

"I don't know whether it's sheer talent or the Velvalube, but it looks like Hicks might want to think about trying that stuff out," added Darrell Cartrip. "He's right on Vroom's tail and - maybe I need to get my windshield washed - but it looks like he's - yep! He's doing absolutely nothing! No smooth moves today, eh Thunder?"

As she rounded a turn, Vee looked back in one of her mirrors. She was almost positive that she had misunderstood Darrell's words. One glance behind her and she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that no, she had not misunderstood. There was no mistaking the massive collection of tacky, multicolored sponsor's stickers that covered his frame, or that bright green paintjob underneath, or that striking black grille. Less than a car length behind her, and just to her left, was none other than Chick Hicks himself. The stock car locked eyes with her and his trademark "race face" (a determined sneer) changed to an oil-chilling grin.

"After a nearly two-year hiatus from racing, it would appear that Hicks has lost his edge," Bob commented.

"That or he's just being a gentleman," Darrell replied. The two announcers exchanged a look and laughed.

Throughout the race Vee kept glancing back at Chick. Just like everyone else she was fully expecting him to do something - anything - to try to pass her. But he didn't. It wasn't until another racecar rolled over in the middle of lap ninety-eight that he finally made his move. Vee had been so keen on watching him that she nearly collided with number thirty two as he bounced off the outside wall and rolled across her path. She swerved into the field to avoid him while Chick swerved the other way, taking the lead.

Vee's treads tore up the Astroturf as she pivoted and threw herself back into the race. It took nearly a full lap before she caught up with him again. As she picked up speed to pass him, he too accelerated. The two were now neck and neck, tying for first place. Far from looking affronted by her daring, Chick grinned at her again.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" he sneered. Vee sneered back.

_Only one lap to go…_Putting every last bit of her energy to work, she slowly started to inch forward. She had just managed to gain a quarter car length lead by the time she crossed the finish line.

* * *

"Oh aweshome. Thanksh, babe," the pickup slurred. He nearly tipped over as he held up a greasy, dirt-encrusted skid plate for all to see. Vee's signature, a large, fancy cursive V entwined between two smaller ones, adorned the filthy hunk of metal. Beside her, Mack gave her an apologetic look. She responded with her trademark smirk.

"As soon as we get home tonight I'll sign yours," she said with a wink, just loud enough for him to hear. While Mack turned even redder Vee turned slightly green. "Excuse me," she murmured, pressing urgently through her crowd of fans. Mack honked them back. She made it through and he kept his eyes on her until she disappeared around a corner.

As much as he wanted to follow her and make sure she was okay, he reminded himself to wait. Though Vee was not the least bit hesitant to be open about their relationship, Mack had decided to keep a professional distance from her outside of Radiator Springs. After all, she was a rising star - a beautiful, talented athlete with scores of admirers and a track record that made even the Fabulous Hudson Hornet proud - and he didn't want to mar that perfect picture by putting himself in it beside her.

Several minutes later Vee emerged from the women's restroom looking and feeling somewhat better. Most of the spectators had already departed, leaving the area mercifully free of traffic and the restrooms empty. Had there been a line, even a single car in front of her, she knew she would never have made it. With a tired sigh she started to head back toward her trailer and Mack, thinking about the quiet evening they had planned once they got home.

"Helloooooo, Veronica!"

A smooth, seductive voice from behind halted Vee in her tracks. She didn't need to check her mirror to know who it was. "Goodbye, Chick," she replied flatly, and continued on.

"Oh yeah, I recognized that bumper of yours a mile away!" he exclaimed, pulling up beside her with a chuckle. She felt his eyes traveling down her body, but kept her own fixed straight ahead.

"Well, I've said it before, and I'll say it again: you are some piece of work, baby. Mmm-hmmm. You looked better in green though." Vee ignored him. "So what's with the number fourteen? Where'd that come from?"

"It's my lucky number." She refused to look at him.

"Well, I can think of a WAY better number for you than fourteen! Know what I'm sayin'?" He nudged her hard. Vee sneered at him and he laughed loudly. "Hoo yeah! You know it, baby!"

"And eighty-six is the perfect number for you," she retorted before speeding up.

"Yeah, that's right! Just keep driving!" He was right behind her again, so close that there was less than a meter of space between them.

Vee smirked at him in her mirror. "Glad you like riding my ass so much," she said coolly, "considering you could barely keep up with me out there today!"

Chick snorted. "What? I was enjoying the view! I had plenty of time to do that _and_ win the race."

"Uh-huh. Then how come I beat you?"

Chick braked sharply, momentarily speechless. Vee smiled smugly at him before rounding a corner. He went after her.

"The only reason you won is because I - I let you. Yeah. That's right. I let you."

Vee reached her trailer and turned around to face him finally. "And why would you be so kind as to do such a selfless thing?" she asked sweetly.

"Because," Chick replied, lowering his voice and rolling closer to her. "You're a rookie. And a woman. And a dainty little thing like you ain't gonna cut it in the big bad world of racing, babe." He was so close now that she could feel his hot breath on her face. His grille twitched in a self-satisfied smirk. "Not without a little leverage, anyway. And if it's leverage you want, then I'm your man."

_"Ahem!" _Both Vee and Chick turned in unison to see Mack staring down at them. "He giving you any trouble?" he asked, nodding at the stock car. Vee shook her hood as Chick backed away.

"Think about what I said, hey babe? Leverage. You want it, I got it!"

Now it was Vee's turn to smirk. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again: real slick, Chick. Goodbye."

He chuckled. "Whatever you say, babe. My offer stands firm, if you should ever change your mind."

"It'll be a cold day in hell," she said lightly, "but I gotta admit, you always were the fastest… but not on the track."

Chick's smug grin vanished and he sped off with a snort. Mack watched him go, then turned to Vee with a puzzled expression.

"Sooo, what was that all about?" Vee shrugged. "Far be it from me to pry into your personal life, but… you know Hicks?"

"Well of course. I'm competing with him, aren't I? You know what they say: keep your friends close and your enemies even closer."

Mack shook his hood. "Eh, I dunno. Sounded to me like you were already familiar with him on a non-competitive level."

Vee gazed up at Mack, her blue-violet eyes holding his own green ones for a long moment, before dropping to her hood. She sighed heavily. "If you want me to be completely honest with you, then yes. I know him. Very well." She turned away to stare off in the direction Chick had gone. "Too well, actually." Mack heard her sigh again, this time heavier than before. When she looked up at him again her eyes were shining.

"He was a client of mine back at Ford's."

Mack's jaw dropped. For a long time all he could do was stare at her, speechless. When he finally found his voice again, it was tiny. "Y-you mean you…? And him…?"

Vee closed her eyes and nodded slowly. "He lived in L.A. at the time, so he was a regular." She opened them again and her shamed expression suddenly turned sour. "A regular pain in the ass," she added bitterly. It took her a moment to notice that Mack was still staring at her in shock. "I'm sorry, Mack. I should have told you sooner."

The big rig shook his hood fiercely. "No. It's not my business. You don't owe me an explanation or anything. What happened between you two - well, it's - it's not my business."

"But Mack -"

Mack held up a tire. "No," he said firmly. "It's over. What's done is done, and you can't change that." His stern expression softened into a smile. "But you can sign my skid plate," he purred, pecking her cheek.

Vee grinned big and kissed him back. "Of course."

* * *

__

Wow. Looks like Chick's gonna be trouble for Vee! And Chick fans, please refrain from forming an angry mob and burning me at the stake. I'm starting to become a Chick fan myself, and while he might appear to be a prick at times, rest assured I do have some positive plans for him as well. Now get your bumpers over to DeviantART and check out the illustration!


	8. Hicks' Chicks

__

So so sorry for yet another long wait. I had a hard time getting this chapter started for some reason. Hopefully the next couple of chapters won't be nearly as hard to write. In fact, I have a feeling they'll be up and running a lot sooner than this one was.

To any Jeff Gordon fans who are reading this, please forgive Joey's rude comments. Those are not my views, but his. In other words, I only wrote what I wrote to portray Joey as the heartless bastard that he is. Please forgive me for making Chick out to be none-too-sweet also. As he happens to be one of my favorite Cars characters, I fully intend to bring him into a far more positive light later on in this fic.

Thanks to DodgeSuperBee for letting me borrow one of her OC's first names (Monroe) to use as one of my OC's last names. Oh, and thanks to WhiteStar the Undecided for the Gatorade gag. XD This chapter takes place during the week before the tie-breaker race in the movie, though I decided to make it 2005 instead of 2006 so that the main story can take place in the present day and not in 2009.

Warning: strong language and adult content ahead.

CHAPTER EIGHT:  
HICKS' CHICKS

__

June 2005 - three years earlier

Chick Hicks took a deep breath of hot, smoggy air and sighed contentedly through his grille. "Ahhh, it's good to be home," he said to himself. The sun had recently set, casting a radioactive orange-violet glow over the west end of the city. The asphalt beneath his tires was still warm. He could feel the heat vapors rising up from it and dancing along his undercarriage as he drove down the empty street.

It had only been a few hours since he had arrived in town, and he had spent most of that time getting reacquainted with the track at the Los Angeles International Speedway. His smug satisfaction in having beaten Lightning McQueen to California had fueled more than just his ego. It was like a high octane boost in energy that not even a thousand practice laps could curb. Perhaps this would have left some vehicles feeling restless, but not Chick. No. He knew just where to go to burn off this extra energy.

Fast food wrappers and crushed paper cups from a nearby McDonald's clogged the wet and weedy gutters of this quiet street. Somewhere among the stagnant mess a single cricket played a humble little tune. The wail of sirens rose up and drowned it out, growing louder and louder. Chick braked sharply at a stop sign, halfway into the intersection, and glanced around anxiously. He spotted a brief flash of red light several blocks down the street and tensed. A moment later it was gone, the sirens fading away in the distance.

The racecar continued on his way. He passed four more stop signs and two dips, but did not brake or even slow for anything other than the black cat that darted across his path. A street light buzzed and dimmed as he passed it, plunging the immediate area into sudden darkness. The street grew darker and darker as he went, until the only light left to guide him was that of a porch light on the front of a nondescript two-story building. Dust-colored beetles buzzed around a bald yellow light bulb over a faded black door. Peeling gold letters stamped across it read _For - 's Esc -- ts. _Chick raised himself up on his axles as he entered, exuding an aura of confidence.

The lobby was small, with crimson carpeting and walls the color of Thousand Island dressing. Tarnished brass fixtures hung here and there, each one bearing a dozen lit candles dripping blood-red wax that blended and hardened on the carpet. A fat gray SUV stood behind the counter facing the front door, squinty eyes set on a small TV screen.

As Chick approached, he saw that the man was watching a surveillance video of a local liquor store robbery on the news. By the rapt look on his face, the racer surmised that he recognized the robber. Chick glanced around. Everything, including the SUV, was covered with a fine layer of dust. Nearly a minute went by before he realized that the bouncer hadn't heard him come in.

"Yo Joe!" Chick shouted in his ear.

The SUV jolted and looked over at him, eyes widening. "Well, well, well! Who do we have here? Mister big Piston Cup winner! Ha ha! When'd you get back in town?" Grinning from headlight to headlight, Joey struggled to squeeze out from behind the counter. "Hey, I saw you knock off that Jeff Gordon douche on TV yesterday. Smashed his whole fugly face in! 'Bout time someone put that jerk-off in his place."

Chick laughed uproariously. "Tell me about it! You'd think the guy would learn not to cut me off, but no. Well, I think I taught him good this time when I kicked his sorry ass right off the track! But hey, when you mess with Hicks, you get eighty-sixed! Ho yeah!" he shouted, slugging Joey's fender. "Am I right?"

The SUV's ample frame heaved with guffaws. "So what's the deal with Dinoco?" he asked once he had calmed down. "Djoo sign with 'em yet or what?"

Chick shook his hood. "Nah. Not yet. I gotta break that damn tie first," he grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot about them other two guys."

"Yeah, well, Weathers and McQueen are good, I'll give 'em that, but come next Friday they'll be lucky if there's anything left of themselves to drag across the finish line!"

"Oho, now I'm _really_ looking forward to watchin' that race!"

Chick grinned. "Speaking of hot, sexy babes," he said casually, "I'm crashin' a party up in Van Nuys in about half an hour and I'm gonna need, say, two. Yeah." He nodded. "One on each side. That'd be perfect."

Joey squeezed behind the counter and turned a dial on the wall. Overhead, a chandelier brightened. He flipped through a rolodex, then double-checked the currently-dated page in an appointment book. "Hmmm. Looks like most of the girls are booked for tonight. There's maybe four or five left who're still free."

"Busy night, eh? All right then, who ya got?"

It took Joey a long moment to piece together the short list of names. "Um, let's see… there's Black, Bolger, Rutherford, Shields, and Vroom."

Chick's face fell. "That's it? Well, I'll take Vroom, of course, but isn't there anyone else? You know who I like."

Joey shrugged. "Sorry, pal." He checked the books one more time. "Actually, Monroe's in tonight, but I think Slade's got her."

Chick's grille twitched irritably. "Well, go see if he's done with her yet. The party starts at nine and unless that clock's fast then it looks like I'm already going to be fashionably late!" he said, nodding at the timepiece hanging on the wall. Joey glanced back at it in his mirror. It was 8:38.

"HEY SLADE!" he bellowed suddenly, startling Chick.

From somewhere down the hall came an equally loud reply. "WHAT?"

"HICKS IS HERE AND HE WANTS TO TAKE MONROE OUT! How long you want 'em for?" he asked the racecar quietly.

"Tonight for sure. Maybe the whole week if I don't get bored with 'em."

Joey nodded and jotted something down in the book. Then he picked up the phone and dialed a two-digit number. "Vroom? Get your ass down here. You've got a date." A sharp click sounded as he hung up.

Shuffling his tires anxiously, Chick glanced down the hall when he heard a muffled thump and a woman giggling. He turned to the bouncer with a raised brow. Joey snorted.

"HEY SLADE!" he shouted again. "IS MONROE FREE TONIGHT OR WHAT?"

There was a short silence, followed by another thump and giggle. "SHE IS NOW!" Slade answered finally. A moment later a door creaked open down the hall and a red Mercedes cruised into the lobby. Chick gave her a suave smile which she returned.

"Hellooooo, Darla!" he purred, rolling toward her.

Vee descended the ramp from the second floor to find Chick and Darla locked in a passionate kiss. "Oh great," she mumbled, rolling her eyes. Chick broke away when he noticed the hunter green Chrysler standing nearby.

"And hellooooo, Veronica," he greeted her.

Vee prepared herself for a kiss like the one she'd just witnessed, but to her mixed relief and disgust he merely licked her cheek. _Ew. Gatorade. _Judging from his smell and his slick appearance, she guessed that he'd had an entire keg of the stuff dumped on him earlier that day. Vee's eye twitched at the thought of his sticky, greasy body on hers and prayed that he would have the decency to wash up a little first. Even so, she would have preferred being doused in Gatorade over the irritating spray-on body glitter she was currently wearing.

"Come along, ladies," Chick said, wedging himself between the two women. "We've got a looong night ahead of us."

_You're telling me, _Vee thought bitterly as she smiled and accompanied him out the door.

* * *

"Mister Hicks! Mister Hicks! Hey Chick, over here!" A horde of reporters tailed the trio down the Sunset Strip that evening. Flanked by his escorts, Chick Hicks basked in the blinding camera flashes that erupted all around him. Several celebrities who were regulars on the strip looked on, both relieved and jealous at not being the center of attention for once.

With a smug smile, Darla pressed close to the racecar's left side, preening for the cameras. On his other side, Vee tried discreetly to maintain her distance. This was made rather difficult by Chick's constant leaning on her or yanking her close to him for a brassy pose. Not to mention the fact that every inch of him was sticky with Gatorade. One glance over at Darla and she knew at once that that had nothing to do with her closeness to him. That unruly Mercedes was a gold digger if ever there was one.

Vee forced smiles and scripted giggles at his lame jokes, now and then tossing the cameras a blown kiss or a wink. She kept the lusty escort façade tacked on tight until they were out of the public eye and safely inside the walls of Chick's lavish penthouse suite. Having been here many times before, she did not hesitate to make herself at home. Surrounded by lush green décor only a few shades sunnier than her room back at Ford's, Vee threw herself onto the king-sized bed and kicked off her rhinestone-studded hubcaps, heaving a large sigh.

Meanwhile, Chick made a beeline for the mini bar and started mixing a martini. He downed two of them before he noticed the Chrysler on his bed.

"Hello, what's this?" he said as he rolled toward her. "Eager to get down to business, are we?" He offered her a drink.

Vee snorted. "Hardly." She sipped it as he climbed onto the mattress beside her.

Chick chuckled and stretched himself out. His joints creaked and popped. "So, which one of you lucky ladies gets the privilege of rubbing my back?" he asked, looking from the Mercedes to the Chrysler with a grin.

"Pass," Vee murmured, and turned away.

Chick smirked at her. "Always playin' hard to get, huh?"

Darla flashed Vee a nasty look before climbing into bed on his other side and rubbing up against him. "You know I'm not hard to get," she purred in his ear. "And I know how to _get_ you _hard_." She ran her tongue over her upper teeth.

Vee rolled her eyes. "Oh, brother."

"Mmm, yes you do, my dear," Chick growled, pulling Darla close. "Yes you do."

While they made out, Vee picked up the remote and started flipping through the premium channels, trying to find something to distract her from the bawdy couple. After going through them and finding nothing, she checked the basic cable channels and settled on _The Twilight Zone. _Even though this was one of her favorite TV shows, the current episode, "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," had terrified her as a child.

A small stab of pain in his left wing was the first sign that the paranoid little airplane was being sabotaged by a gremlin. His fellow planes dismissed his constant complaints as latent flight anxiety. He had, after all, just recently been discharged from a mental institution after having suffered a nervous breakdown in mid-flight some six months earlier.

"There! There it is again! I can feel it!" shouted the plane. "There's something there - attacking me!" He dipped his wing to show the others, but the gremlin had vanished again. They chuckled and headed higher into the clouds, leaving the nervous little plane behind. "WHY WON'T ANYONE BELIEVE ME?" he cried out to the heavens as the icy rain poured down on him. Vee held her breath as a sudden flash of lightning revealed that the gremlin was now clawing viciously at his tail.

"Argh!" she echoed his startled yelp when something jabbed her in the back bumper. Looking back in her mirror, she couldn't tell whether it had been Chick or Darla who had kicked her during the throes of passion. They were really getting into it now, so Vee decided she would be safer on the floor. It wasn't uncommon for them to carry on like that as though she wasn't there. Nor was it uncommon for her to snag some Jack Daniels from the mini bar, order something sweet or greasy from Room Service, and watch a pay-per-view flick to pass the time. Chick never seemed to mind this at all. Either that or he'd never noticed.

Vee stretched out on the floor at the foot of the bed, a chocolate éclair in one tire and a glass of butterscotch schnapps in the other. She tried to ignore Darla's moans as she debated between watching another episode of _The Twilight Zone _or _The X-Files_. Both shows were alien-heavy that night, so she opted for the latter. If she was going to be spending the night with Chick Hicks, then she might as well get a good eyeful of that sexy Mulder to help her through it.

An erratic thumping noise kept Vee from enjoying the show, no matter how high she turned up the volume. _Why do they ALWAYS have to have bed boards? _she wondered, heaving a frustrated sigh. She started tilting a mirror to look back at them, but thought better of it. "Just keep at it, you two," she murmured wryly. "At the rate you're going, you'll have that wall broken down before you know it." Her comment went ignored.

It wasn't long before the two of them were shrieking with ecstasy and Chick was rolling out of bed, breathless and glowing from exertion. Vee continued to watch TV as though nothing had changed. She knew he would get to her soon enough. She could hear him fiddling around with something at the mini bar as glasses clinked together and something liquid and fizzy was poured into them. A few minutes (and several drinks) later, she felt his hot breath on her bumper. She turned around.

The racecar was standing behind her, far calmer now that he had expended most of his energy on Darla, who was well-known for wearing out even the randiest of clientele. Vee smirked at him. "Lemme guess: you want to know why my fat green ass is down here on the floor and not in bed with you right now?"

Chick mirrored her smirk. "No," he said smoothly, and in that one breath Vee could tell that he was well on his way to being plastered. He moved closer to her. "I wanna know why your fat green ass isn't in the shower right now."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me!" he snapped, making her jump. "Get your ass in there and wash off that friggin' glitter! Pronto!"

"But you're the one who told me to put it on in the first place!"

Chick growled and stomped a tire. "Just do it!"

"All right, all right," Vee sighed. She rolled slowly toward the bathroom. Darla watched with a smug smile from the bed where she lay. Chick shoved Vee rather roughly inside and turned on the tap. She held her tire under the stream, waiting for the water to reach the right temperature. Slightly wobbly now, Chick leaned against her to steady himself. He reeked of whisky, sweat, axle grease and, as always, that accursed Gatorade. On top of this, his frame felt stickier than it had earlier. Vee could actually feel and hear herself peeling away from him as she climbed into the stall.

No sooner had she submersed herself under the shower than she felt him pressing against her again. She shivered in spite of the steamy water cascading down her back. He jostled her roughly in the cramped space until he was positioned so that most of the water landed on him now. With a sigh he tilted his cab back and closed his eyes. Vee watched boredly as his slackened mouth filled with water. When it was nearly full he swallowed, then chased it with a deep swig from a Bacardi bottle she hadn't noticed a moment ago. Vee sighed.

Chick heard her and cracked an eye open. Groping around underneath himself, he pulled out a sponge and shoved it at her. "Get scrubbin,'" he commanded, and closed his eyes again. Vee sighed again and started sponging the glitter off her body. After a minute they snapped open. "Not you," he growled. "Me!" He leaned up against the tiled wall of the shower, lifting his two right tires off the floor.

Vee stared at him. "You have got to be kidding me."

"I ain't payin' you to bitch, you b - (belch!) - skank. Now shaddup and get to work!" While she scrubbed his sticky flank, Chick started singing. Terribly. His drunken vocalizations were beyond comprehension, but after a while Vee was sure she recognized (just barely) lyrics from the song "Mmm Bop" by Hanson. She tried to take her mind off it by scrubbing harder, until one of the many sponsor's stickers on his door started coming off.

"C'mon! Sing it with me!" Chick slurred, taking another swig. Reluctantly, Vee started humming along, happily peeling off more stickers as she worked. "Louder!" Chick shouted, slugging her clumsily on the fender. "And shcrub my junk off while you're at it." He tilted himself even further, exposing his undercarriage. Vee's lip curled at the sight.

"You can't pay me enough to do this," she mumbled, but somehow forced herself to oblige. Chick was annoying enough when he was sober, but thankfully that's all he was. When he drank, however, he was annoying, rude, vulgar, and sometimes downright disgusting. And tonight was no exception.

* * *

Twenty minutes later a glitter-free green Chrysler emerged from the penthouse suite. In one tire she clutched a wad of bills and a list of various liquors scribbled on an oily napkin. She took the elevator down to the ground floor and checked the clock in the lobby. It was nearly two a.m.. If she hurried she could make it to the liquor store on the corner before they stopped selling alcohol for the night. Vee intended to take as much time as possible coming back. Anything to get away from that insufferable racecar, if only for a few precious minutes.

As she headed out the door, a little yellow hatchback nodding in the corner snapped to attention and went after her.

"Excuse me Miss!" he called out to her in the street. Vee braked and he caught up to her. "Hey, aren't you one of Hicks' chicks?" he asked her.

Vee looked him over, hesitant to answer. "Who wants to know?" she demanded.

The man grinned. "Well, see, I'm lookin' to get a little dirt on him, so to speak, and if you're one of his gals then I bet you've got plenty to share with _CarStar_. For a fair price, of course."

As he whipped a pad and pen out, Vee spotted the press badge clipped to his side. She smiled.


	9. Yvette and Benji

CHAPTER NINE:  
YVETTE AND BENJI

"Benji! Honey, where are you? Benjiiiiiii!"

Sheriff awoke with a snort. In the shade behind a billboard that welcomed travelers to Radiator Springs in faded and peeling paint, the squad car blinked groggily. "Nyeh - what? I'm awake!" he said with a yawn. Glancing around, he realized he was alone. "Coulda sworn I heard someone yellin' just now," he murmured. He settled low on his axles and closed his eyes. He'd just begun snoring again when a second voice spoke directly in front of him.

"Sheriff?" Vee waited for him to wake up, but all he did was mumble incoherently and continue to snore. She honked her horn. Sheriff jumped and let loose a string of (mostly) incomprehensible swears before he realized who was standing before him.

"What the flyin' Ford?! Galldarnit, Vee! I swear to Dodge this is your last warning about that!"

Vee chuckled. Oh, if only she had a nickel for every time he declared a warning as his last. "Sorry," she replied, both her tone and expression saying quite clearly that she was anything but. "I was just wondering if you've seen a white Corvette pass by, but since you were asleep, I'll assume that's a big N-O."

Sheriff smirked at her. "I wasn't sleepin,' I was restin' my eyes! S'not easy watchin' the road with all that sun glare."

Vee smirked back. "Right. Well, if you do see anyone who goes by that description, let me know, will you?"

"And uh, what description is that?" Sheriff asked with a faint blush. His brain was still foggy from sleep.

"A white Corvette with blue eyes and a beige canvas top." Vee's eyes strayed past the squad car and lit up suddenly. "Like that one there!"

Sheriff turned around. A young woman of that exact description was driving toward them just then. She looked upset until she spotted Vee, who rushed forward to meet her with a hug.

"Yvette! You made it! What a relief. I was starting to think you'd gotten lost or something." Vee pulled back to look her over, then hugged her again. "Wow! Look at you! It's so great to see you again! How are you? Did you have any trouble finding your way here?"

Pleasantly stunned by the Chrysler's enthusiastic greeting, Yvette hugged her back. "Hey, Veronica. Good to see you too! I'm fine. No, I didn't have any trouble at all, except… well, actually, I am having a little trouble finding my s -"

"YAAAHHH!" Sheriff shrieked and spun around. "Something bit me!"

The two women stared at him in shock. Yvette gasped. "Benji!" Quick as a flash, she rushed forward and shoved a tire under him. Sheriff's eyes went wide as she felt around down there. A moment later she backed away, extracting a squealing orange bundle from its hiding place beneath the old cruiser.

"THERE you are! Oh Benji, you had me so worried!" Yvette exclaimed as she hugged the tiny car to her chest. "Don't you ever wander off like that again, young man! Do you hear me? You scared Mommy half to death!"

Vee tilted her cab to look at the child, but it was too hard to see while Yvette was holding it so close. "Is that -?"

Yvette set the child down and turned to Vee with a smile. "Yes. This is my son, Benji." With a tender tire she gently nudged him forward. Benji was a plump little hatchback with large hazel eyes and an orange/copper body. Vee assumed it was his natural color, as most parents did not have infants and toddlers painted because they quickly outgrew their paintjobs. The boy had a single, large tooth that stuck out from his upper jaw, giving him a very adorable and very Mater-ish look.

Vee gazed down at the little car, who stood almost as high as his mother's tire. "Awww, he's adorable!" she said as she rolled forward and lowered herself on her axles. "Hi, Benji. I'm Veronica." She extended a tire in greeting. Benji stared at it, then her, before shying back against his mother's tire.

"It's okay, sweetie," Yvette crooned. "Veronica is a friend. Go say hi to her." She nudged him forward again. Benji gazed fearfully up at the Chrysler.

Vee offered him her most reassuring smile. "Hey there, Benji. Can you say Veronica? Hm?" He blinked, but remained silent. Vee looked at Yvette. "Can he talk yet?"

"A little. Just simple words like 'mama' and 'owie' and 'hungry.'"

"Hmmm. Hey Benji, can you say Vee?"

Benji tilted his cab, giving her a curious look. Then suddenly he smiled. A big, (mostly) toothless grin. "Bee!" he chirped, honking his tiny horn at the same time. "Beebeebeepeepeep!"

Vee laughed. She honked back at him, and her own deeper, much louder horn sent him dashing beneath his mother. "Awww, I'm sorry Benji. I didn't mean to scare you." She tried to look under Yvette, but could not see him. "Sorry about that," she mumbled guiltily. "Hope he's okay."

Yvette chuckled. "He's fine. See?" She tilted herself to one side, revealing the little hatchback nursing happily behind her left front wheel. Sheriff blushed and looked away. "Come on now, you're getting too big for that," she scolded, gently prying him free of her undercarriage. Benji squirmed and whimpered. "Oh no no no. Ssshhhhhhh. Mama will feed you when we get to town. We're almost there now."

But Benji could not be calmed. He continued to fuss until she finally let him go. Yvette sighed as he sprang free from her tire. "All right. Go ahead." But instead of returning to his spot behind her wheel, he started chasing a small yellow beetle around. "How old is he?" Vee asked.

"Fifteen months," Yvette replied. Her eyes were full of pride as she looked upon her son. Vee noticed this and smiled.

"I guess having a kid makes a big difference in your life, huh?"

Yvette nodded. "Oh yes. It's made things very difficult, but at the same time, I've never been happier. Or more complete." Her eyes never left the little boy, whose attention had turned to Sheriff. He was currently trying to grab hold of one of the squad car's curb feelers and put it in his mouth. Unsure how to handle a toddler, Sheriff merely stood there, now and then leaning away from him whenever a curb feeler was dangerously close to getting chewed on.

"Oh! No no, sweetie! You leave those alone," Yvette said gently, hooking a tire around Benji and coaxing him back toward her. "You don't put stuff in your mouth, remember? That's yucky. You don't know where those things have been." She glanced at Sheriff and her white hood pinkened slightly. "No offense," she added meekly.

Sheriff chuckled. "Aw, that's all right. Heck, _I _don't even know where they've been." He rocked slightly, watching his curb feelers bounce. Benji giggled and reached for one again, but Yvette held onto him this time. "I've had 'em for so long, it's hard to remember."

"Oh! Where are my manners?" Vee said suddenly. "Sheriff, this is my friend Yvette Glenn. Yvette, Sheriff Sterling. It's been a couple years, but I assume you remember each other."

Sheriff bowed slightly. "Of course," he said, smiling as he recalled their first meeting two and a half years earlier. His recollections were mainly of a battered young woman, her entire frame covered with dents and scrapes, tears in her eyes as she bravely reported crimes against herself and a friend to a law officer like himself.

"Won't you join us at Flo's?" Vee asked the squad car, but Sheriff shook his hood.

"Sorry, ladies. I'd love to, but these roads ain't gonna patrol themselves, you know. You go on now. I'll see y'all at sundown for supper."

* * *

Sundown had been a good two hours away when Yvette and Benji first rolled into town, but soon enough the entire community, plus two, were gathered at Flo's for dinner. While nearly every man in town was besotted by the lovely young Corvette, all the women cooed over the adorable little boy she had brought with her. Yvette politely pretended not to notice the covetous looks she received from the male portion of the dinner crowd as she brought Vee and Mack up to date on the last two and a half years of her life.

"After Slade and Joey died, things definitely changed for the better," she said over her half-eaten chef's salad. "As soon as I got back to L.A. I moved out of that apartment and in with my mom. I never saw Darla again, thank Dodge. Not even while I was moving out. It looked like she'd moved out too, but who cares about her, right?" The young woman winced at the memory of the brutal beating she'd received from her former boss and his henchman, thanks to Darla. That 'Scarlet Harlot,' as she was known as back at Ford's, had long been in love with Slade and would do anything for him.

When Vee had left Mack behind in order to protect him, she went back to L.A. and looked up Yvette, who had moved into a shabby apartment building after Ford's Escorts had burned down. Darla, a fellow escort, moved into the same complex just two doors down from her. After Vee's short-lived visit, the Mercedes contacted Slade who, with the added persuasion of Joey, managed to beat Vee's whereabouts out of Yvette.

"With my uncle's help I got a real job as a cashier at Longs Drugstore," she went on, "though for a while there I was still seeing a couple of clients on the side. It was hard to do behind my mother's back because I couldn't possibly bring any of them home with her there. Plus it killed her to see me in that line of work. When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I had to stop it and start living a more respectable life. If not for myself then for my baby."

She looked over at Benji, who was surrounded by fawning women. Sally, Mia, and Tia waited their turn with him while Flo blew raspberries on his belly. The little boy squealed and giggled and beeped, delighted to be the center of so much attention. Yvette smiled as tears of joy sparkled in her eyes. "And I did."

Mack and Vee watched the young woman watching the child, each imagining themselves in her place and wondering if they too would appear just as lovesick to an observer. Yvette finished her tea and held her glass out, hoping to get a refill, but both waitresses were being distracted by Benji. Lightning noticed her dilemma and darted toward her eagerly.

"I got it!" he declared, snatching her glass and disappearing inside of the café before Yvette could tell him what she wanted. The racecar returned seconds later with a full glass of ice-cold honey lemon tea, exactly what she had been drinking earlier. "Here ya go," he said, setting it down in front of her. He was grinning like a schoolboy with a crush as he watched her take a sip, clearly awaiting her approval.

Yvette smacked her lips and smiled back. "It's good. Even better than the last glass. Thank you."

"My pleasure," he replied with a bow. He quickly returned to his spot beside Sally who, miraculously, had been too smitten with the baby to notice his infatuation with Yvette.

Mack shook his hood. "McQueen's gonna be crushed when he finds out he's not my best man."

"Why isn't he?" Yvette asked.

"Don't get me wrong, he's great and all, but - I dunno - it was really hard having to decide between him and Mater. Believe you me."

"This'll be the second time Mater's been a best man," Vee informed Yvette. "The first time was at Lightning and Sally's wedding."

"Wow. He's pretty popular for a rusty tow truck," the Corvette commented as she watched her son bat a tire at Mater's tow hook, which he dangled teasingly just out of reach. Both wore goofy, toothy grins and the mischievous glint in their hazel eyes were a perfect mirror of each other. Despite their vastly different makes, they could easily have passed as father and son. Yvette laughed. "And I can see why. He seems really nice. Good choice, Mack."

Mack smiled proudly. "Thanks."

"But what about Lightning?" Vee asked him. "You gonna tell him already, or do I have to?"

"I think he already knows. No doubt Mater bragged to him about being the best man."

Vee looked over at McQueen, who had finally stopped ogling Yvette long enough to cuddle with Sally. "He's certainly taking it well."

Mack looked at him too and smirked. "Eh, I think he was more interested in driving Yvette down the aisle than standing next to me during the ceremony."

Yvette chuckled. "Nice as he is, I think I'd rather have Mater by my side." Vee had chosen Yvette as her maid of honor, having found in her a kindred spirit during their employment at Ford's Escorts. Ten years her junior, Yvette had come to work at Ford's during Vee's second year. Only twenty at the time, the timid little Corvette had been desperate for money yet terrified of this new life. Vee felt sorry for her and took her under her wing, defending her against Slade, Joey, and uncouth clients. From there on they had formed a close friendship, becoming almost like sisters to each other.

A loud horn sounded, startling the dinner crowd, as Mater and Benji fell into a honking match.

_"Beep!"_

_"HONK!"_

_"Beep!"_

_"HONK!"_

_"Beep-beep!"_

_"HOOOONNNK!"_

_"Beep-beep-beeeeeeeeeep!"_

_"HOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNK-HONK-PPPppppppp!" _Mater strained too hard and let loose a noise that sounded suspiciously like a tractor fart. Benji squealed with laughter as the tow truck turned bright red. "Oh Lord, Ah apologize fer that."

* * *

__

Hey you! Go to my FFN profile page to vote on which Cars fic I should write next! And for those who are interested, I've got one X-rated Cars fic over on Adult Fanfiction. Net titled "Vacancy." My pen name there is Lucky Vine. If you read it, please leave a review, even if it makes your eyeballs vomit (it's actually pretty tame compared to a lot of stuff I've read over there). Oh, and I know I don't say it nearly enough, but thank you all so much for your kind reviews!


	10. Motherhood

_A/N: Well, here it is. After TEN grueling months of delaying, I give you… CHAPTER TEN!!! I don't know whether to be proud or ashamed for breaking all of my previous records for longest wait between chapters. No seriously, I truly am ashamed. I can't even begin to apologize to my loyal readers. _

CHAPTER TEN:  
MOTHERHOOD

Yvette looked up at the towering semi truck uncertainly. The motherly smile stretched across her large fender as she looked down at the baby was comforting, even encouraging. Still, the Corvette felt obligated to ask, "Are you sure he won't be any trouble? He may be little, but he's a bundle of energy."

As if to back his mother's claim, Benji took off suddenly after a fat red beetle. He squealed happily as he chased it in circles. Then, as suddenly as he had accelerated, he braked when the bug changed course. This sent him tumbling hood over wheels. He rolled once and landed upright, blinking in confusion.

"Bah?" he chirped, looking around for the bug.

Midge chuckled. "I think I can handle him. Mack was pretty high-spirited for a semi baby, but I managed. Of course, that _was_ over thirty years ago, and I'm not nearly as young as I used to be…"

"Aw, heck!" Gaspar cut in. "You coulda fooled me the other night. Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you haven't aged a day since our wedding night, you feisty little -"

"Ahem!" Midge gave him a warning look. Gaspar dutifully shut his mouth, but didn't bother to wipe the grin from his face. Yvette blushed and giggled.

"Well, okay," she said. "But about that other thing I mentioned…" Midge looked down at her questioningly. "About him being little," the car clarified. She blushed again, gazing down her hood as she shuffled a front tire in the dirt.

It took a moment for Midge to understand what she was getting at. "Oh! Oh, you have nothing to worry about, dear," she assured her. "I'll even keep my emergency brake on, just in case. Gaspar may not be light on his tires, so I guess it's a good thing he's going to a stag party instead of hanging around at home helping me babysit." She gave her husband a smirk. "Ford knows he ran over Mack enough times when he was little."

Oblivious to her criticism, Gaspar's attention was focused on Benji. The tiny hatchback was clinging tightly to the semi's massive tire, which Gaspar lifted up off the ground and rotated slowly. Benji giggled as he was rocked back and forth and even suspended upside down. Sensing his wife's eyes on him, Gaspar looked up.

"What? I ain't hurtin' 'im. See?" He turned and held his tire out for both women to see clearly. "Boy's havin' fun. Aren't ya, Benj?"

Gaspar kept rotating his tire while the little boy crawled along on it like a hamster running on the outside of its exercise wheel. Midge and Yvette both smiled at the sight.

"Well, I suppose it _would_ be good practice for him," Midge mused. "Won't be long before we've got a grandchild to deal with, and given Vee's size it'll most likely be pretty small. Well, compared to a full-blooded semi baby it will be. At least for _her_ sake I hope it's small. Otherwise she's going to have problems."

Midge sighed and shook her hood, flashing Yvette a fond smile. "Listen to me go on and on like _I'm_ the one who's expecting!" she chuckled. "I guess that's what it's like becoming a grandmother; like being a mother all over again."

Yvette chuckled too. "I've got a long way to go before I ever become one, but I gotta admit I'm pretty excited for Veronica. I was so scared at first when I found out I was pregnant, but she was such a good friend to me back at Ford's," here she blushed and bit her lip, "I just feel like she's a sister to me, and I'm about to become an aunt for the first time."

"Do you have any nieces or nephews?" asked Midge.

Yvette shook her hood. "None that I know of. I've got two brothers in California; one I haven't seen in a couple years and one still in L.A.. It's possible, though. You know how men are."

Midge chuckled. "Only too well." She glanced over at Gaspar, who was standing quite rigidly now with an odd look on his face. "Something wrong, hun?"

Yvette looked over at him too. "Where's Benji?"

"Right under my drive shaft," Gaspar answered quietly, through gritted teeth. The look on his face was a priceless mixture of tension and queasiness.

Midge smirked. "Well then, just inch toward the left very slowly -"

"Not _that _drive shaft, dear!"

Midge widened her eyes in surprise, then rolled them. "And let me guess: you're not even wearing a skid plate, are you?"

He didn't answer her. He didn't have to. Yvette's loud gasp and hot pink hood as she pulled Benji out from under the big truck said it all.

If Gaspar knew the meaning of shame, it obviously didn't apply to this particular situation. In stark contrast to the flustered Corvette he was sniggering like a teenage boy over his first crank call.

Benji tried to dart back under him, but Yvette held him back. "No no, sweetie. That's not a good place." She chanced a quick glance upwards, and the mischievous sparkle in the truck's brown eyes darkened her hood even more. Midge sighed.

"You're impossible," she told him.

Gaspar's grin widened. "I know," he answered proudly, driving closer to her. "And that's what you love about me, right, baby doll?"

Midge pointedly looked away. "Right," she murmured, feigning bored sarcasm. Not to be put off, Gaspar inched even closer, nuzzling her side as he began to purr what _he_ liked to call 'sweet nothings' in her ear, most of which were better off censored in front of present company.

"Don't you have a stag party to crash?" Midge grumbled, leaning away from him. Gaspar backed off, but not before giving her a kiss on the cheek and a playful smack on the fifth wheel. "SCRAM!" she snapped, spinning around to smack him back across the grille.

Gaspar's laughter sounded in her ears long after he vanished from sight down the road.

* * *

That evening, the tiny town of Radiator Springs came alive with festivities. Though only about a third of the town's residents were gathered at Flo's Café, the place seemed packed. The female portion of the population was already giving the men folk a run for their money, and the sun hadn't even fully set yet!

Vee's bachelorette party was small, but what it lacked in size was more than made up for in fun. Flo, Sally, Mia, Tia, Lizzie, Yvette and the bride-to-be parked in a loose circle in the middle of the café lot, drinking margaritas (virgin, in Vee's case) and gossiping loudly and obnoxiously about their various experiences with men. Especially the Miata twins, who had pretty much seized control of the subject. The more they drank, the louder and more obnoxious they got, until finally Sheriff gave up warning them about 'public drunkenness and indecency.'

Vee, the one car who remained sober, said, "Lighten up, Sheriff! At least you can drink. Unlike some of us," she added with a pout.

Sheriff bristled. "Not while I'm on duty, I can't!"

"Well then quit coppin' and start hoppin'!" Flo replied.

"Yeah!" agreed Sally. "You're working too hard. Why don't you drive on over to Mack's party and have a few?"

"And while you're there, you can keep an eye on a certain Impala for me!" Flo added.

Vee raised a brow at her. "Why? It's an all-guys party. What do you think's gonna happen?"

Flo smirked. "Honey, knowing Ramone…" she trailed off, not bothering to finish that sentence. The look she gave Vee said plenty.

"I'd be more worried about Shtickers," said Sally. The twins snickered at her slur. She eyed the two girls with mock suspicion. "I've g - I've got my eye on you three!" she declared, jabbing a tire at them. They laughed even louder.

Vee stared at the Porsche in surprise. Sally blinked. "What?"

"Nothing," Vee replied, though a slight smile curved her lips. "I've just never seen you this drunk before."

Sally chuckled. "Shhhhuuurrre you have." Then she lowered her voice. "I just like to pretend I'm plastered sometimes. You know, you get away with a lot more if people think you're really wasted." She gave Vee a wink and Vee chuckled too.

"I don't even have to bother pretending with Mack," she divulged, winking back. "For such a big guy, he's such a pushover."

"Huh, what?" Tia chirped, popping up between the two women. "Wussat you were sayin' 'bout a big guy?"

Vee smirked. "I was saying that for such a big guy, Mack's a big pushover."

"Ooh, is he really?" Mia asked, suddenly appearing beside her sister.

The Chrysler raised a brow as the two girls stared at her eagerly, both blind stinking drunk. "What, a pushover? Well, most of the time he's -"

"No, not that!" Mia interrupted. "I mean, is he really big? You know, down - down there?"

Tia gasped and gave her a sharp nudge. "Will you get out of the gutter already?" Despite her reproving tone, she couldn't help giggling.

Mia nudged her back. "_You're_ the one who wanted to know!"

The two fell into a very uncoordinated shoving match, riddled with childish insults and girly giggles. Vee rolled her eyes and started to drive away, when one of them spoke up.

"Wait! Tell Tia how big he is! She's dying to know!"

"Shut _up!" _Tia snapped. "Chrysler, you're so pathetic! Just admit _you're_ the one who wants to know!"

"Tell her! Tell her! Tell her!" Mia chanted, bouncing on her axles.

Vee turned around, smirking at the two girls, who both fell silent. They resumed their wide-eyed stares and barely-concealed grins as they awaited her answer.

"Mack's a semi truck," she said flatly, as though she were stating a cold, hard fact. "Semis are three times bigger than most cars. Now you do the math and you tell me."

Both Mia and Tia blinked in drunken confusion. Then slowly they turned to look at each other. It took several seconds of silent questioning and even more blinking before both girls erupted in giggles. Vee rolled her eyes again and drove away. Behind her she could clearly hear them discussing the benefits of hanging out at truck stops more often.

She parked in front of Yvette who, throughout most of the evening, had remained somewhat distant from the festivities. Vee knew the young woman to be shy, but she'd assumed a few drinks would have taken care of that by now.

"What's up?" she asked, taking note of Yvette's fourth (or was it fifth?) mudslide, sitting half-finished beside her. Vee gave her a puzzled look. "I thought for sure you'd at least be a little tipsy by now."

Yvette smiled and shook her hood. "I can't drink."

"Why not? Oh jeez, you're not pregnant too, are you?"

Yvette chuckled. "Oh, no. I'm still nursing Benji, so I can't have any liquor till he's weaned."

Vee frowned. "Really? How long does that take?"

Yvette shrugged. "Some suggest one year, some two. He doesn't do it as much as he used to, so for now I'm just waiting to see when _he's_ ready." At the look of surprise on her friend's face, she smiled. "Don't worry. It's not as bad as it sounds. And of course you don't _have_ to nurse. There's always formula, although your own natural milk is better."

Vee made a slightly disgusted face that roused a laugh from Yvette. "Motherhood is sounding more appealing all the time," she said wryly, then turned away to address Flo, who was standing behind her.

"Hey Flo, how come you don't have any kids?" The words were out of her mouth before she'd had time to think them through. Vee bit her lip hard, praying she hadn't offended her friend.

But to her surprise, Flo was smiling, albeit somewhat sadly. "Oh, well… it's so complicated, I'm not sure I even understand it, but… for the longest time Ramone and I couldn't even decide if we wanted a family or not. And with all the orphaned children in this over-populated world, well, we didn't think it would be right bringing another baby into it. Not when so many others needed love."

Flo sighed and sipped at her champagne. "So we started saving up so we could adopt, or at least have enough to take care of things if I did get pregnant. But neither one happened."

There was a distance in her eyes and voice that made Vee sympathize with her. "Oh. Um, I'm sorry to hear that. I bet you'd have made great parents, though. You and Ramone both."

Again to her surprise, Flo smiled. Even more, she was giggling like a school girl.

"You haven't been told?" she asked Vee, who blinked in confusion.

"Told what?"

Flo was glowing by now. "Oh Ford! You been with us how long, and you still don't know?"

"Know _what_?" Vee frowned.

"Honey, we _do_ have a family! And I don't just mean everyone here in town. I'm talking about a child."

Vee smirked. "Okay, I'm officially lost. Could you please explain what you mean before you get any drunker?"

Flo laughed and set her drink aside. "Okay, okay." She took a few calming breaths, then tried again. "Well, you know Red, right?"

Vee nodded slowly. "Yeeesss, but don't you even try to tell me he came out of _you_!"

The show car couldn't help laughing again. "Oh, of course not! No no. You see, Red's an orphan. And supposedly Lizzie's great grandson, though nobody knows for sure." Here she suddenly became sober and serious.

"See, Lizzie had a grandson who got sent off to fight in the Korean War. A few months after he left, she found a little baby fire truck on her porch. Still had his umbilical cord attached. All he had on him was a blanket and a note from someone claiming to be the mother and naming Lizzie's grandson as the father.

"Well, right away she tried contacting him to find out if it was true. After several inquiries on his whereabouts, one day she got a letter telling her he'd been killed in action. Poor Lizzie never saw her grandson again, and she never found out if Red was really his or not. But it didn't matter. By the time she got the news, she'd already fallen in love with the little guy. We all had."

Flo's smile returned. "And you know what? Ramone and I helped her raise that boy like he was our own. So to answer your question: yes. We do have a kid, actually."

Vee stared at Flo in surprise for a long moment, then mirrored her smile. "Wow. I had no idea. I mean, I've always noticed how sweet you are to Red, but Ramone -"

Flo chuckled. "Oh, I know, he treats Red more like a little brother than a son, but I think that's because Lizzie tends to treat _everyone _around here like they're her grandkids or something. That and he thinks he's gotta be Mister Macho all the time. But no matter what Ramone tells you, he's really just a great big softy at heart. You just wait till _your_ little bundle of joy comes along. He'll be all over your baby like a mother hen."

Vee laughed. "Now I _really _can't wait to give birth!" After taking a moment to herself to think about what Flo had told her, she sought out Sally and asked her the same thing: "How come you and Lightning don't have any kids yet?"

Sally shrugged and sipped her drink. "We're waiting," was her simple answer.

All three women had given Vee a lot to think about.

* * *

_A/N: Don't forget to drive on over to DeviantART and check out my chapter illustrations! If you need a link, please PM me._


	11. Stag Party

__

A/N: Thanks to SevenStar, Foreignconcepts and Smile-Clarenet for the reviews, and thanks in advance to those who haven't reviewed yet but will.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:  
STAG PARTY

"Whatever you do, DON'T miss the turnoff! Ya got that?"

"Yeah, yeah. Cool your pistons, Chicky. I know where I'm going."

A curvaceous Mercedes Benz ascended the off ramp, exiting I-40. She switched to high beams now, scanning the dark desert for road signs.

"You see it _yet_?" asked a man's impatient voice over her cell phone's headset. "You're gonna miss it if you don't - "

"Relax. I hit the turnoff a mile back," the woman replied airily. She glanced back in her mirror and scowled. "Great."

"What?"

"That van that's been riding my ass for the last twenty miles is still following me."

"Don't worry, babe. Ol' Thunder's got your back."

The woman smirked. "That's comforting to know. What're you gonna do, cuss him out all the way from L.A. if he gets too close?" She continued driving for another minute or two, checking her mirrors constantly for the white van. She sped up, putting distance between herself and her would-be follower.

"You remember what you're looking for?"

"A big red truck," she answered boredly, for the umpteenth time. "Brains do come with the body, you know. For an added fee."

It wasn't long before her headlights illuminated a very old and weathered sign bearing the words "Route 66." She braked at the intersection.

"Found Sixty-six. Now is it a left or a right?"

"Jeez, don't they have any signs out there?" The man sounded exasperated. "I thought McQueen put that little oil stain of a town back on the map! Hold on, lemme check." Silence fell as the Mercedes idled by the stop sign, waiting for further directions.

"Okay, it's left. Take a left on Sixty-six, and it's about three miles down the road. You got that?" No reply. "Darla? Answer me!"

But Darla's attention had turned to the mysterious vehicle that had finally caught up with her. It was a stocky Dodge street van sporting Roto-Rooter logos on its sides. It pulled up beside her, looking her over with a lusty eye.

"Heya," it greeted her, in an obvious male voice. "What's a pretty lil' thing like you doing way out here in the middle of Nowheresville?"

"Who the hell is that?" demanded Chick, on the other end of the line.

Darla was about to answer both men with an unfavorable expletive when a third voice caught her by surprise.

"Excuse me, ma'am, are you lost?"

She jumped and looked around. It took her a moment to notice the older model patrol car standing just beyond the range of her headlights. Sheriff drove forward.

Plastering a smile on her face, Darla shook her hood. "Thanks for your concern, _officer_, but I'm good." The emphasis she put on the word _'officer' _went unnoticed by Sheriff and the van, but not by Chick. She heard a curse and a soft click as he hung up. "I was just checking my GPS for directions to Radiator Springs."

"Well, you're in luck," Sheriff replied, smiling. "Radiator Springs is just a couple miles down that way." He gestured down the road with a tire. "I'd be glad to show you the way."

Darla's smile nearly failed, but she kept it in place. "Oh, that won't be necessary. I'm sure I can manage," she purred.

"I'm sure you can too," Sheriff agreed, "but you know, I wouldn't feel right leaving a nice-lookin' young woman like you out here all alone at night. If somethin' were to happen…" he trailed off, glancing past her to give the van a suspicious look. "He with you?"

The woman cast the van a sideways glance as well. The van grinned and wiggled his brows flirtingly. Darla snorted.

"Hell no. Just keep him off my ass and I'll be fine," she said, rolling forward. "Now if you'll excuse me, _gentlemen, _I've got a party to get to." She revved her engine, but held back for a moment to ask "What's the speed limit on this road?"

"Sixty-five," Sheriff answered, "but in town it's only -"

Darla didn't wait around to hear the rest. With a screeching of tires, she took off like a shot down Route 66, leaving both men staring after her in a cloud of dust. Sheriff's first instinct was to give chase, but when he clocked her at just under the speed limit, he decided to leave her be.

* * *

Vee tried to get a good look at the car that Doc was giving directions to across the street. They were standing between streetlights, so it was very hard to guess at the stranger's color. Red, maybe? Seemed a little late for travelers or tourists to be driving through.

After the stranger left, turning right past the courthouse, Vee spotted a second newcomer entering the town limits. This time it was a fat white van, being escorted by Sheriff. The squad car nodded in her direction, then to her surprise the van drove straight toward her.

"Well hellooooo ladies," he purred, pulling into the café lot. All of the women now turned to stare at him questioningly. He looked around, eyeing each of them with varying degrees of interest. He had honey-brown eyes and a black grille. The Roto-Rooter logos on his sides indicated that he was a plumber (or at least posing as one).

His gaze came to rest on Vee, and even as he locked eyes with her he asked, "Which one of you lucky ladies is the bride-to-be?"

Vee didn't need to answer, as everyone else present was doing it for her. It seemed none of them needed bother either, as the man appeared to know exactly who she was.

"Looks like this bachelorette party could use some entertainment," he declared.

All of the women present exchanged glances, silently questioning or accusing one another of having some part in this. The twins got the most looks, even though their mirror expressions of surprise (and disgust) said quite plainly that this was not the type of male dancer they would have arranged for.

With a seductive smile that bordered on creepy, the van rolled toward Vee. Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" started playing on his radio as he parked just inches in front of her, rocking rhythmically on his axles and swaying from side to side. For such a portly vehicle his movements looked far more comical than sensual. The sound of unseen tools rattling around in his side compartment only added to the effect.

Vee's eyes widened as she stared up at the van. Then she blinked. "Robbie? Robbie Dieselman?"

He grinned bigger. "Tonight, I'm Mr. Rooter," he purred, "and I'm here to fix your plumbing, baby."

Vee stared at him a second longer, then burst out laughing. "Oh my Dodge! I can't believe it's _you_!" The van started laughing as well as the two old friends embraced. Vee gave him a friendly slug on the fender. "You dipstick! Who do you think you are, showing up like _this_? I thought you weren't coming! You never answered my emails."

"Ha ha, yeah. I know. I wanted to surprise you."

"Well consider yourself successful," Vee murmured, looking him over. "So, are you an actual plumber, or is this all the costume store had in stock?"

Robbie grinned. "Nope. I'm a plumber. Was gonna come as a fire truck, until I found out where the hose went."

Vee laughed. Robbie had always managed to make her laugh back in high school. Being the practical joker at every school function, he constantly kept the PTA on their treads. She remembered his antics at the prom in particular with mixed emotions…

_For one marvelously horrifying split second in time, Vee felt a tingle of warmth where her lips grazed Mack's cheek. He moved closer to her, perhaps to return the kiss. But as suddenly as it had happened, the moment was gone, obliterated by an earsplitting crash from the direction of the lane. Jolted back to reality, Mack and Vee pushed their way through the trees._

_ In seconds the grove was packed, a blaze of headlights from students and staff alike. In the center of the crowd lay five vehicles, all dented and splattered in oil. Though none were seriously injured, all were definitely miffed. The pavement was soaked with oil, but it was all clean, and that could only mean one thing: it hadn't come from a leaky car._

_ "Robert Dieselman!" bellowed Mr. Edsel, the geometry teacher and one of the unfortunate victims of the boy's prank. On the other side of the pileup a white van cringed. He tried to escape, but slipped on his own oil and collided with a nearby tree. Mack and Vee shared a good laugh with the rest of the crowd._

Sure, it had been a laugh riot, but Vee never completely forgave Robbie for that poorly-timed incident. Afterwards, it had taken both her and Mack many years to come to terms with their feelings for each other, and to reclaim the courage that had nearly seen them through to their first kiss on prom night.

For all the teasing Robbie had done back then, singing out loud in the halls about "Vee and Mack parked beneath a tree," (although he would sing that about practically any two vehicles he saw together, even if it was two guys) he had remained clueless to the truth up until the email he'd received from Vee inviting him to her wedding.

"Everyone, this is Robbie. We went to high school together," Vee introduced him to the crowd. "He was in a lot of the same classes as me and Mack."

After exchanging greetings and flirting with each and every woman he met (including Lizzie), Vee noticed him eyeing Yvette with particular interest and asked him if he was seeing anyone.

"Oh, yeah. I'm seeing a lot of fine-lookin' ladies here," he joked and Vee slugged him.

"You know what I mean!" she chuckled.

"Well, I was seeing Mandy on and off since we hooked up at our high school reunion. You remember her, right? But she's moved on, working as a hood stylist now. Guess she thinks a plumber ain't good enough for her." Robbie pretended to pout.

Vee smiled. "Well, don't sweat it. You'll find that special someone soon enough, I'm sure."

"Heh, yeah maybe. I guess if a guy like Mack can score a hottie like you, then there's hope for me yet." He cocked a flirty brow at the nearest woman, which happened to be Yvette. The car blushed and looked away. Robbie chuckled. "You sure got a lotta cute friends," he said to Vee.

"Thanks, but FYI, most of them are either taken or crazy." She said that last word with emphasis as she looked pointedly at Mia, Tia and Lizzie.

"Well just tell me which one's which so I can avoid any trouble."

Vee smirked. "Wouldn't you rather go to Mack's party?"

Robbie grinned, still looking around at the women. "Not really."

"Trust me, you don't wanna hang around here much longer. We were about to play some party games when you came along."

"Ooh, sounds like fun!"

Vee arched a brow. "Does 'Pin the Pipe on the Plumber' sound fun to you?"

Robbie blinked. "Well… that depends on where the pipe's supposed to go."

Vee smiled impishly. "This is a bachelorette party. I'll give you three guesses."

Robbie's own smile faltered for a split second, then he laughed. "All right, all right. I'll go. Let you ladies get your jollies without me. Been looking forward to giving Mack hell." He started out of the lot, then turned around. "Where is the big lug, anyway?"

Vee chuckled and drove up beside him. "Come on. I'll take you."

* * *

Mack studied his cards, trying to decide if he had a good hand or not. Was a flush higher than a straight, or was it the other way around?

"So are you in or not?" Lightning asked him.

"Huh? Oh yeah. I'm definitely in." Mack looked down at his sizeable pile of poker chips. As lousy a card player as he'd perceived himself to be, he'd won nearly every game so far tonight. "Are you guys sure you're not just letting me win?" he asked, resisting the urge to peek at anyone's hands. At his height he could easily see everyone else's cards.

"Naw, man. You're just a good bluffer, is all," Ramone assured him.

Mack gave him a doubtful look and set his cards down. "Flush!"

"Aw man!" moaned Fillmore, clearly beaten. Mack got a glimpse of his hand - a full house! - just before he tossed it facedown on the discard pile. He wondered if the bus had feigned losing on purpose or if he was just too high or drunk to know better.

Gaspar sighed and dropped his cards. "Y'know, if I didn't know any better I'd say this was a bar mitzvah and not a bachelor party."

"Wuh?" Fillmore blinked up at him. "Bar mitzvahs don't have strippers… do they?"

"My point exactly!"

Mack sighed. "I told you I didn't want anything like that, Dad. It's _my_ party, you know."

"Wull Ah'm havin' a blast!" Mater spoke up. "Ya don't need tuh be dirty tuh have uh good time."

Gaspar opened his mouth to argue, but one look from Mack made him close it again.

"I beg to differ," said a woman's sultry voice, causing every man in the room to turn toward its source simultaneously. A Mercedes Benz had appeared out of nowhere and was now cruising through the lobby of Lightning's racing headquarters. She was light on her tires and careful to avoid the mess of pizza crusts, oily napkins and empty beer bottles scattered about the floor.

The woman was breathtaking, with a pearlescent red paintjob that complemented her striking green eyes, full lips, and voluptuous curves. She looked around at the group of men and smiled. "Hmmm, looks like this party is in need of a woman's touch," she purred.

Though no one spoke out loud, murmured "oohs" and revved engines clearly expressed the men's excitement. Mack, however, remained speechless out of shock. He gave his dad an accusing look, but Gaspar shook his hood.

"So, which one of you boys is getting hitched?" Darla asked, looking back and forth at the two men. She hadn't expected to find _two_ red trucks at this party, let alone _semi _trucks.

Before anyone else could answer, Mack hastily pointed a tire at Gaspar and then backed away. No one dared correct him. All eyes were on the little Mercedes now. She smiled seductively and rolled forward, just as the first sensual saxophone notes of Kenny G.'s "Songbird" started playing on her radio.

"A big boy like you deserves to enjoy his last night as a single man. Don't you think?" she asked, batting her lashes at him.

Gaspar nodded vigorously. "That's what I said! But Mack didn't want -"

Darla placed a tire to his lips. "Sssssshhhhhhhh. Less talk, more… action," she whispered. Her emerald eyes glinted with lust.

* * *

Vee and her entourage arrived at the racing headquarters. The seven women, now joined by Robbie, Midge and little Benji, stood outside the open doors and listened.

"It's too quiet in there," Sally remarked. "They must be up to something."

"I know," agreed Midge. "I had to tell them twice to keep it down so Benji could sleep." It didn't help that the garage she shared with Gaspar was right behind the main building.

"Well, here goes nothing," said Vee, crossing the threshold. "C'mon, Rob."

Inside the lobby, they were met with a shocking sight: all of the men were hooting, whistling and catcalling while Gaspar backed himself up against the far wall, cornered by the same mysterious car Vee had seen earlier. Before anyone could say or do anything, the woman leaned forward and captured Gaspar's lips with her own, kissing him passionately.

A blaring semi horn sounded throughout the lobby, creating instant chaos as all of the men scrambled about in panic. Midge was glaring daggers at Gaspar. Frightened by her horn, Benji shrieked and darted to his mother for safety. The Mercedes spun around. Vee and Yvette gasped in unison when they recognized her.

"Darla?! What are _you_ doing here?" Vee demanded while Yvette pulled Benji underneath her. Having long since abandoned her fears in favor of protecting her son, the Corvette matched Vee's glare with heated intensity. Neither could forget what Darla had done nearly three years earlier. Her betrayal of them to their employer, Slade, had nearly cost both of them their lives.

Darla eyed the little boy tucked under Yvette and grinned wolfishly. "What? Can't a girl turn a trick without getting the third degree?"

Vee's frown deepened. "Get out," she said coldly. "You're not welcome here."

"I think some of the boys here would say otherwise," Darla replied coolly.

"Not if they knew what kind of woman you really are!" Vee spat.

Darla arched a brow. "Oh yeah? You mean like the kind of woman YOU used to be?"

Vee paled slightly, then darkened with rage. "GET OUT!" she shrieked, charging forward and braking just an inch short of colliding with the Mercedes. "NOW!"

The room had fallen deathly silent. All eyes were on Vee now. Her sides were heaving as she huffed, struggling to keep her cool. In her mind images of Yvette, covered in dents and scrapes, were making it increasingly harder to do so.

Smile never faltering, Darla merely shook her hood. "L.A. just isn't the same without you, Veronica." She turned to go and, glancing back in her mirror, added, "Slade sends his love."

Something ice-cold passed through Vee at the mention of that name. "Slade's dead!" she snapped. "Dead and gone!"

Darla braked halfway to the door. "Yes, he is," she said quietly, without turning around or looking back. "No thanks to _you_." There was no missing the sting in her voice; the cold fury and accusation and - was that pain? While Darla had been closer to Slade than any of the other escorts who'd worked for him, nothing witnessed between the two suggested that their relationship had ever been anything more than physical.

But before Vee could respond, Darla was gone. She and Yvette both stood silently staring out the open door into the dark night beyond. Their questions remained unanswered _and_ unasked. They jumped when Midge spoke.

"Do you want to tell me what you were doing with that little hussy?" she demanded of Gaspar, who was still backed against the wall.

"Not really, no."

"I saw you kissing her!"

"Well, she started it!"

"What, and you were going to finish it?"

"No. I didn't have a choice." At Midge's scowl he added "She overpowered me!"

Midge just shook her hood and sighed.

* * *

Several miles down the road, Darla tried Chick's number again. Away from the mountains, her reception had improved. It finally rang through. On the second ring he picked up.

"Talk to me."

"You were right," Darla said. "She's getting hitched in two days."

"And the groom?"

"I tried, but… well, I'll tell ya later. Oh, and get this: he's a semi! Can you believe that? Veronica's marrying a semi!"

"Really?" Chick sounded surprised. "Huh. Well, that's a start. But maybe you oughtta stick around and see if you can dig up some more dirt on her."

Darla chuckled. "Oh, I don't need to. I found out plenty. Besides, Veronica wasn't too happy to see me."

"Well, what else did you find out? Ford knows she smeared me bad enough three years ago. It's only fair I return the favor."

"Oh don't worry, Chicky," Darla purred. "We will."

"What's this 'we' crap? Thunder flies solo, babe. You know that."

"Hey, I'm in on this too whether you like it or not!" Darla growled. "I've got my own reasons, too."

"Pssh, fine. Just hurry back here. Thunder can't fly solo for long, if you catch my drift." His voice was heavy with lust.

Darla laughed. "Relax, babe. I'll be there before you know it."

* * *

__

A/N: Uh-oh spaghettio! Sounds like trouble's brewing. Only your reviews can save Vee now! XP Okay, seriously. Please review. Just one teeny tiny little word of praise or criticism! If that's too much, I'll settle for a single letter! Pleeeaaaasssse???


	12. The Wedding

__

A note of interest to Doc Hudson / Paul Newman fans: The wedding vows used in this chapter were the same ones used by Paul Newman on his marriage to Joanne Woodward in Las Vegas on January 29th, 1958. I can't give a direct link to my sources, but just type "Paul Newman wedding vows" and you'll find it.

* * *

CHAPTER TWELVE:  
THE WEDDING

Mack took a deep breath and sighed. His rear axles twitched nervously. Ramone couldn't help but notice. He'd have to be blind and deaf not to know an anxious semi when he was standing right beside him.

"Yo relax, man. You look great."

Glistening from fender to fifth wheel, and with an elaborate corsage affixed to his left blinker, Mack nodded appreciatively. "Thanks. You did an excellent job, no question, but don't you think the undercarriage wax was a bit much?"

"Pssh, hell no! You wanna give Vee a wedding night she'll remember, right?"

Mack blushed. "Well yeah, but -"

"But nada!" Ramone interrupted. "Listen, chicks love it when you polish up down there. Gets 'em all hot and stuff. Trust me, man."

The truck raised a skeptical brow. "And you would know because -?"

Ramone grinned impishly. "Dude, paintjobs aren't the only thing you get at Ramone's. I seen lotsa guys come through wantin' a little wax for their honeys. Chicks too. In fact, Vee came in here last night for a full-body wax." At Mack's scandalized look he added, "Don't worry, ese. I didn't see nothin'. Flo handles the ladies for me."

As if on cue, Flo came speeding around the corner, headed toward the courthouse. Sheriff, who was just exiting his garage there, ordered her to slow down, though there was little authority in his voice. All day long the town had been filled with frantic cars speeding about, hurriedly preparing for Mack and Vee's wedding that afternoon. The patrol car had long since given up pulling folks over after Vee, the speediest speeder of them all, had told him to take that annoying siren of his and shove it somewhere most unfavorable.

"If you weren't gettin' married today, I'd throw you in Impound!" had been his ruffled reply. So Sheriff stopped harassing those who exceeded the speed limit and resigned himself to harassing everyone else. As self-appointed supervisor, he fell with ease into a pattern of barked orders and unhelpful critique over nearly every aspect of the preparations.

Every single vehicle in town did their part. Red hosed down the entire length of Main Street and parts beyond. Luigi and Guido strung up garlands and other décor. Flo and Fillmore busied themselves with catering. Ramone helped all the men spruce up, doing everything from simple touch-ups to full-body waxes. Sarge ordered everyone around, even though he knew next to nothing about wedding planning and more often than not working against Sheriff. The two slave drivers quickly got into an argument and forgot about their jobs, much to everyone's relief.

Even old Lizzie pitched in, daintily polishing or dusting whatever she saw fit between constant naps; everything from teapots to back bumpers. Lightning kept best man Mater busy by demonstrating repeatedly how to drive up the aisle with Yvette while keeping his tow hook to himself. Sally, and to a lesser extent the twins, helped Vee and Yvette get ready. Midge looked after Benji and Gaspar, the latter far more difficult as he insisted on pestering his son every chance he got, giving him unwanted and embarrassing tips for his wedding night.

Not that every other man in town hadn't already given him _some_ advice by now. Especially Ramone who, it turned out, was nearly as bad as Gaspar.

"Dude, its almost time. You ain't gettin' cold tires, are ya?"

Mack shook his hood. "I just wish I could have a moment alone with Vee before the ceremony."

Ramone quirked a brow. "Oh? Can't wait to start consummatin', huh?"

"What? No! I just want to talk to her, that's all."

"Heh heh, yeah right. No can do, bro. You know it's bad luck."

Mack sighed. "Yeah, I know. I'm just so nervous about this, and not getting to see her all day is just making it worse. You know what I mean?"

Ramone nodded. "I do, hombre. Believe it or not, I feel the same way every time me and Flo renew our vows. S'like I'm gettin' married for the first time all over again."

"How many times have you guys renewed your vows, anyway?" Mack asked, remembering the small ceremony that had taken place less than two weeks earlier, while Sally and Lightning had just celebrated their second anniversary five days ago. What was it about the month of June that made people want to marry?

Ramone grinned. "We been doin' it every single year since we got hitched for real. Good way to celebrate your anniversary, ya know," he added with a wink.

Sheriff rolled up to the two men just then. "Curtain call's in five minutes, gentlemen." He nodded at Mack. "You ready, son?"

Mack looked down at the squad car, and suddenly he felt several feet shorter. "As I'll ever be," was his meek reply.

* * *

In the living room at Flo's house, a group of women swarmed around a breathtakingly beautiful bride. Her pearly lilac paintjob dazzled. Orchids, roses, daisies and lilies formed a colorful and fragrant crown atop her cab, from which trailed a long, sequined train of the finest lace.

"Oh honey, your Mack is gonna have massive engine failure when he sees you!" Flo gushed as she drove in through the front door. "It's a good thing for him you're getting married by a doctor."

Vee chuckled. "Is it safe to go outside yet?"

"Not quite. Last I saw, my man was giving yours a hard time out by the café," Flo said. "No chance in getting past without him seeing you. We'll just have to wait till Luigi tells us it's time."

Vee nodded. She looked up at the clock on the mantle. 11:54. A sudden attack of nerves sent a small shiver through her chassis. _Only six minutes to go. Well, not necessarily. I mean, it's supposed to start at noon, but it's easy to fall behind schedule by a minute or ten._

Knock-knock! _Or twenty or thirty or forty or fifty - _Sally opened the door. Luigi was standing on the front stoop, his excitement only barely contained. In his newly retouched paintjob, he looked like a banana ready to burst open at the seams. Vee gulped. _Or, we could always end up AHEAD of schedule._

"Eet ees-a time!" he announced breathlessly, then sped off without another word.

* * *

Solemn and silent, Doc Hudson stood in front of the courthouse, the Stanley statue hovering just behind him like a most unusual altar. Mack stood to his left, doing his best to keep from fidgeting. Despite his nerves, he forced a small smile as Lightning and Sally drove up the street, the first groomsman and bridesmaid to grace the open-air aisle. Once they reached the altar they split, Lightning driving to Mack's side and Sally to the side opposite the men.

Next came Mater and Yvette. The best man and maid of honor drove a bit too quickly for custom's sake, blushing and glancing around anxiously all the way. Sheriff clocked them at two miles over the previously rehearsed five-mile-per-hour limit. Once the two had taken their designated places, a hush fell over the already quiet crowd.

Moments of tense silence followed as Red rushed off to change the CD. The velvety violin music faded away, to be replaced by the rumbling organ notes of a traditional wedding march.

Mack's engine sputtered and died the instant he saw Vee coming up the aisle. The summer sun dazzled her pearly paintjob, glittering like stardust sprinkled across her hood. He had waited all day for tradition's sake just to catch a glimpse of her, and now, he decided, it had been well worth the wait. It wasn't until Vee was parked beside him that Mack realized he had been holding his breath. One look at the Chrysler's flushed face and he guessed she had been doing the same.

The music ended. Mack and Vee exchanged shy smiles before turning to face Doc Hudson. A final hush descended on the crowd, from the back of which Midge could clearly be heard sobbing.

Doc's smile was as warm as the sun. "We have gathered here today in the presence of the Manufacturer to join in holy matrimony Mack Gaspar Trucker and Veronica Violet Vroom," he declared. "Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens. A good marriage must be created. In the art of marriage, the little things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold tires. It is remembering to say _'I love you' _at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is at no time taking the other for granted."

The Hornet's gaze shifted from the couple standing before him to the crowd beyond. "The courtship should not end with the honeymoon; it should continue through all the years. It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives. It is standing together facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy. It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways." Doc paused for a moment to let his words sink in.

"It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo or the wife to have the wings of an angel. It is not looking for perfection in each other. It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humor. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is finding room for the things of the spirit. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal. It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner."

Doc paused once more and turned his full attention to the groom. "Mack, will you have Veronica to be your lawful wedded wife? Will you love her, comfort her, keep her in sickness and in health and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her so long as you both shall live?"

A little sob of anxiety mixed with joy caught in his throat, causing Mack to choke up slightly before he managed to get control of himself. He locked eyes with Vee and smiled. "I will," was his quiet answer. Doc nodded and turned to Vee.

"Veronica, will you have Mack to be your lawful wedded husband? Will you love him, comfort him, keep him in sickness and in health and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him so long as you both shall live?"

There were a hundred ways she could have answered that question. _Duh!, Of course, Will I ever!, Yes, Always, Until the end of time... _a hundred things she could have said, but only one answer was needed. And, sometimes, the simplest answer is the best one of all.

"I will," she whispered, just as a single tear came free and rolled down her hood. Seeing this roused a few tears in Mack's eyes as well.

At a cue from Doc, Guido sped up to the altar. He was holding a white satin pillow on which lay two gleaming lug nuts, identical save for their size. One was considerably larger than the other. He set the pillow down between Mack and Vee, then from seemingly out of nowhere he brandished an impact wrench. The little forklift picked up the smaller of the two lug nuts, then looked to Doc, who in turn looked up at Mack.

For a moment it appeared the truck had forgotten what came next. That is until Guido held up the lug nut. "Peet stop?" he said, jabbing a fork in Vee's direction.

Mack blushed. "Oh! Right." He looked down at Vee. "With this lug nut, I thee wed."

The beauty of the moment was mangled only by the high-pitched whir of the impact wrench as it applied the lug nut to the bride's tire. Guido picked up the other lug nut and stood poised beside the semi's large tire, awaiting Vee's word. She couldn't help smirking up at Mack. If truth be told, she too had nearly forgotten her line, until he had spoken his.

"With this lug nut, I thee wed," she repeated. The words were barely out of her mouth when Guido rushed to work. One point five seconds later the nut was in place, and the little forklift had already retreated back into the crowd.

"By the power vested in me by the state of Arizona, I now pronounce you husband and wife," Doc proclaimed. His bumper curved in a grin. "You may now kiss the bride."

Cheers erupted from the crowd as the newlywed couple melted into each other, sharing the kiss that sealed their vows. From their place at the back of the crowd, Mack's parents managed to make the most noise: Midge bawling her eyes out and Gaspar howling with joy. Mater, Robbie and Ramone were each doing their best to compete with them, while a mute Red outdid them all by blaring his horn.

Mack and Vee broke apart laughing. With a flick of her antenna, Vee flung her bouquet straight up in the air. It bounced off several hoods as nearly everyone in town scrambled to catch it. After the chaos and confusion died down, it was discovered that the bouquet had come to rest on Yvette's canvas top. It had landed right in front of her son Benji, who had climbed up onto her roof during the ceremony. The little boy squeaked in surprise, then giggled and buried his face in the fragrant flowers.

"Whoa! Nice catch, little man!" said a male voice. Yvette turned and glanced up at Robbie Dieselman, the Roto Rooter van who was Mack and Vee's high school friend. He caught her eye and grinned. Yvette blushed and smiled meekly in return.

Meanwhile the crowd had surged in and surrounded the newlyweds, all hugging and kissing and jostling and congratulating the bride and groom. Vee, feeling an odd sensation on her backside, tilted her mirror to see Ramone hovering rather close on his hydraulics, but before she could say anything he dropped out of sight.

Moments later the crowd parted to allow the new couple to pass. As Mack and Vee drove down the street toward Flo's, and the banquet prepared in their honor, everyone honked and cheered and laughed. Hearing a metallic jangling sound, Mack slowed down for a moment and looked behind himself. Only then did he realize that someone (probably Lightning, from the grin on his face) had tied a bunch of tin cans to his fifth wheel. It was also then that he spotted the words _JUST MARRIED _spray painted in white on Vee's rear windshield. Mack laughed.

Vee stopped and looked back at her husband. "Something wrong, _Mister _Vroom?" she teased.

Mack grinned. "Not a thing, _Mrs. _Vroom-Trucker," he purred, nuzzling his wife.

"That's _Mizz_ Vroom-Trucker to you!" Vee declared, kissing him.


	13. Collision Course

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:  
COLLISION COURSE

There was something about the way her sponsor's decals looked these days that made Mack realize that Vee was starting to put on weight.

"It's called bloating," she assured him for the dozenth time that day. "Doc says it's normal." A forklift from her pit crew approached with a variety tray Ensure protein shakes. "These things _are_ pretty fattening," she commented before pouring half the tray down her throat in a matter of seconds. Mack watched this with a mixture of awe and disgust.

"But if you're so worried about me gaining weight, I suppose I could cut back." At her gesture, the forklift set the rest aside and left.

"You're supposed to gain weight," Mack spoke up once he'd gone. "All I'm saying is, you're definitely starting to show now. But not that much!" he added quickly before Vee could glare at him. He glanced around, making sure they were truly alone, then lowered his voice. "And you know you did say you'd stop before then. Remember?"

Vee sighed heavily and drove up the ramp into her trailer. "Yeah, I know, but… but this doesn't really count," she said, looking in the mirror at her slightly curved side. "Most of it's water weight. You saw the chart in Doc's office. The baby's no longer than a hubcap at this point."

Mack looked her over doubtfully. "Whose hubcap are we talking about here? Yours or mine?"

Vee backed down the ramp with a scowl. "Let's not forget who's responsible for this!" she snapped.

Mack smirked at her. "Last I heard, it takes two to make a baby."

Vee smirked back. "Last _I_ heard, it only takes one to slip up, and you weren't exactly playing it safe that night, now were you?"

"Ohoho! Don't you try pinning this on me! You're the one who neglected to take your pills. Plus you seduced me!"

Vee snorted and grabbed another Ensure shake, retreating once more into her trailer. "Now you're just trying to piss me off. And don't think you can charm your way out of a good beating later. I've got hormones on my side."

Mack stifled a laugh. A voice over the intercom called for racers to take their place at the starting line in exactly five minutes. The big rig immediately sobered up on hearing the announcement. He peered into the trailer at his best friend and wife, watching grimly as she fussed over a pealing decal on her side.

"Pssh, I can't tell if this says 'Velvalube' or 'valve lube'," she muttered, trying fruitlessly to smooth it down with a tire. "Can you get this for me?"

Mack hesitated. "I dunno. You and your hormones aren't gonna castrate me if I mess it up, are you?"

Vee's smirk was more like a sneer. "Keep talking and we'll just see how it goes." She grumbled something else that he didn't quite catch, though he was pretty sure the jist of it had something to do with which exact head men did their thinking with.

"Oookay, I'm just gonna pretend I didn't hear that and go grab a beer from the concession stand. Want one? Oh, wait, I forgot. You can't have any!" he teased.

His snickering was cut short by a full quart-sized can of oil that flew out of the trailer and bounced off his right wheel well.

"OW! Jeez, babe, can't you take a joke?"

"Sure I can, if you can take another one of these upside your grille!"

Mack dodged the second one just in time. Someone chuckled behind him.

"Only married a month and already you're behaving like a seasoned couple."

Mack turned to see Doc Hudson driving toward him. The elder car's benign smile faded as he peered past the truck into the trailer. "She still planning to race?" he asked Mack, though quite loud enough for Vee to hear too.

"Yes, she is," the Chrysler announced airily as she descended the ramp. "And this racecar is not listening to either one of you, so you can both save your breaths." When she turned to face the two men, she immediately regretted her haughty tone. She didn't know which made her feel worse, Doc's stern glare or Mack's worried pout. She sighed and shook her hood.

"Look, this is going to be my last race until after the baby's born. The very last one. There'll be no more after this one. I swear."

"That's what you said last time," Mack said.

"I know, but… but this time, I mean it."

"You said that last time, too."

Vee sighed again. "I know, but I really, really mean it this time." Here she hesitated a moment, suddenly shy. She looked away, hiding a small smile. "I can feel it now," she said quietly, almost a whisper. Mack looked at her questioningly. She gazed up at him and smiled openly. "The baby. It started moving this morning. I mean, I started to feel it finally. It's like it's trying to tell me this is for real."

"Really?" Mack grinned and rushed forward to press a tire to her side.

Vee giggled, rather girlishly, he thought, which he found both cute and creepy. _Hormones_, he told himself.

"It's not moving right now, thank Dodge. Can't have any distractions on the track. But there really is a baby in there, and I can't deny that anymore." Vee turned to Doc with a firm nod. "I'm not going to do anything crazy. Just one more race, then maternity leave. I promise."

The old Hornet just stared hard at her for a moment, then nodded back. "All right. But if you so much as utter the word 'race' after today, I'm notifying NASCAR about your condition. Got that?"

"Okay, okay. I promise," Vee replied, knowing full well that Doc never made an idle threat. Less than a day after informing her that she was pregnant, he had explained how this new condition would disqualify her from the remainder of the racing season. On learning this, Vee had been quite upset, but not for long. After some research she discovered a few loopholes that could potentially minimize damage to her track record, should her condition ever become public.

If, indeed, it did become public knowledge at this particular point, only her placement in her two most recent races could be rescinded. And, of course, she would not be allowed to race again until after her pregnancy ended. If, however, she quit after today and managed to stay discreet about it, she would be able to maintain her record as it stood presently.

Ever since learning of her pregnancy, Doc had taken to accompanying her to all of her races. Early on his pretense had been merely to coach his two young protégés (Vee and Lightning both), but he quickly shed that pretense as his concern for Vee grew along with her baby. Nowadays both Doc and Mack (and Lightning, too, whenever he was present and could be coerced by the other two) habitually begged, bullied, pleaded and pestered her to withdraw from the upcoming race. Rather than make her feel guilty, it was starting to drive her insane.

"ATTENTION ALL RACECARS! PLEASE TAKE YOUR PLACE AT THE STARTING LINE!"

At the announcement, Mack and Doc both turned on Vee with identical expressions of concern. She resisted a chuckle, and instead gave them a reassuring smile. "We'll be fine," she said, coasting forward.

Something large and heavy was laid on her trunk, stopping her in her tracks. Vee looked back at Mack, whose enormous tire held her firmly in place. His expression was unreadable. It chilled her to look into his eyes just then.

"Please don't do this." He spoke so quietly, she almost couldn't hear him over the soft purr of her own engine. His green eyes shimmered beautifully, as if with the beginnings of tears. "Every time I watch you race, my own heart races, but… not always in a good way."

"I have to do this," she told him, her voice almost as low. "Just one more race. I have to. Just one more." She wriggled out from under his tire and turned to face him fully. "Please don't worry, Mack. It's not good for either of us."

Instead of arguing or pleading, Mack did the only rational thing he could think of: wrapping both front tires around her, he pulled her crushingly close to himself and kissed her passionately for a very long moment.

"ALL RACECARS PLEASE TAKE YOUR PLACE AT THE STARTING LINE!"

At those words, Vee ended the kiss with an indecipherable murmur and pulled away. It took an astounding amount of willpower for Mack to let her go. She sped off toward the tracks without looking back.

"I love you!" Mack shouted just a split second before she disappeared around a corner.

All day long he had prayed for her success, he had prayed for her safety, and now he prayed that the only reason she hadn't said "I love you" back was because she hadn't heard him.

* * *

Vee tailgated the pace car, waiting tensely for the signal for the start of the race. The summer heat was sweltering. It warped the air like gasoline vapors rising up from the tracks. The cramps that she had 'conveniently forgotten' to mention to Doc clenched her abdomen like the jaws of a ravenous beast. At least they were ignorable, for the most part. Other things weren't nearly as easy to ignore.

Knowing that Chick Hicks was in the same race, she half expected him to get in some last-minute pestering before the green flag was waved. Sure enough, the stickered stock car was already muscling his way up to her from his original position six cars back.

"Well hello, Vee-ronica," he purred, now cruising along beside her. Vee rolled her eyes, but said nothing. "So, how's the hubby?" he asked casually.

That did it. Vee nearly braked right then and there, but just narrowly saved her composure. "And who says I'm married?" she asked coolly while keeping her eyes straight ahead.

"Same person who told me you got knocked up by your driver. Is that who you married? Or is it some other guy?"

"For your information, I stopped seeing more than one guy the day I left Ford's," Vee growled. "Also, I don't know where you're getting all this BS, but I am _not_ pregnant."

Chick guffawed. "So you _did_ marry your driver! Well, how do you like that? Hey, didn't he used to be McQueen's driver? The big red guy? What's his name – Mark?"

"Mack, and yes, I married him. What's it to you?"

"Oh, nothin'," Chick murmured. "But I could've sworn you were knocked up too."

Vee revved her engine loudly to match her equally loud growl. "You've really got to stop believing every little thing you hear. Haven't those stupid tabloids taught you anything? Or need I remind you what they said about _you_ just a few years back?" Of course, a good chunk of what they'd printed about him had been supplied by Vee herself.

Chick acted as though he didn't remember that particular fact. "True, but I gotta say, you do kinda look like you're glowing, Dollface." He eyed her with a cheesy grin.

Vee snorted. "It's the middle of July and a hundred freaking degrees out. Everyone's glowing."

Chick laughed. "I am pretty damn hot, if I do say so myself. And I do! You're not so bad yourself, although," he looked her over, "I think you've put on a few pounds since L.A.."

Vee scowled, but bit her tongue. This was no time to lose her temper. '_Jeez, first Mack, then Doc, now Chick. Why does everyone have to make it so damn hard for me to run one simple little race?' _She tried tuning him out, but the mention of a particular name nearly made her brake in her tracks yet again.

"Darla? You're still seeing that – that woman?" she demanded, restraining herself from using a far less favorable term for her old rival.

"Of course!" He veered closer to Vee and lowered his voice to a seductive purr. "Aw, don't be jealous, babe. You know I'd still be seeing you too if you'd just let ol' Thunder roll once in a while."

'_Okay, Vee. Stay cool. Don't let him win now. Not the race, and not this either'. _She tried to convince herself that it was her hormones that were irritating her and not Chick, but to no avail. She tried again to tune him out, but all too often some suggestive or otherwise provocative sentence fragment managed to snag her attention.

"…weren't as good as you, though… all night long… pretty hot the way you… couldn't get enough…"

'_Dodge, when will he learn to quit?'_ Vee wondered, temper flaring and ebbing as the beast continued to worry at her belly. '_Chrysler, could it be any hotter out here?'_ The baby rolled over, squirming as it settled into place. All around her, engines revved at an earsplitting decibel, and beside her, Chick rambled on and on about "the good old days back in L.A.." It was all enough to make her see red. A smooth tire brushed against her own just then, sending her straight over the edge.

"GAH, SHUT _UP_, CHICK!" Vee shrieked, just as the flag went down. "AND LEAVE ME THE HELL _ALONE_!" With a deafening roar of her engine, she was gone, leaving her rival behind in a cloud of exhaust.

* * *

Seventy-three laps down, two-hundred twenty-seven to go. There was no way she was going to make it. Not without a dozen pit stops. '_Why do they call it morning sickness when it lasts all freaking day?'_ Eighteenth place wasn't so bad, not when there were more than twice that many competitors. But it _was_ bad for Veronica Vroom, who claimed a place somewhere in the top ten in nearly every single race. '_Damn it, kid, why'd you have to pick today to make your presence known? Give Mommy a break!'_

"I hate to say it, Darrell, but Vroom's not looking so hot today."

"For once, I actually hate to agree with you, Bob, but you're right. I don't know what it is, but that gal's got something weighing her down big time."

Vee rolled her eyes. Normally Bob Cutlass and Darrell Cartrip were her favorite commentators, but today they were nothing short of effing annoying. Especially when they mentioned either "Vroom" or "number fourteen."

"If she doesn't get her head into the game soon, ol' 'Last Place' Laramie's gonna overtake her for the— ooh! Too late, he just did."

'_Yeah, thanks for the heads-up, Darrell. You're really helping me out here.' _

Ahead of her by three laps already, Chick approached Vee from behind, and she readied herself for his inevitable snide remarks as he began to pass her up for the fourth time that day. Instead, he hung back, cruising leisurely beside her as he began once again to boast of his self-perceived greatness.

"I told ya before this ain't no girl's game," he teased, veering in uncomfortably close as he did so.

"Uh-huh. Then what about Sonia Alexa?" Vee reminded him of the recently retired female racing legend from Greece. "She's won more cups than you can even count. Forget about her already, did you?"

Chick snorted. "Drag queen, obviously."

"What are you up to, Chick?" demanded Lightning, suddenly appearing on the stock car's other side.

"And you're a real drag, McQueen," Chick replied smartly.

Not having arrived soon enough to get the joke, Lightning ignored this remark. "Don't you have some catching up to do?" he asked coolly. "Or need I remind you that you're six laps behind me!"

Chick growled at this, but let it pass. "Beat it, McQueen. Can't you see Thunder's on cruise control right now?" He winked at Vee, who shoved him aside rather violently and accelerated, leaving him behind.

"Whoa!" Chick skidded a little before righting himself with a curse.

Lightning laughed. "What, cruising for babes, or cruisin' for a bruisin'?" He sped ahead to catch up to Vee. Doc had asked him to be watchful of her during the race, and even though he knew nothing of her past with Chick, he knew from experience that a certain green stock car wasn't to be trusted on the tracks.

"He giving you trouble?" he asked her, noticing how flushed she appeared. Her paintjob looked more hot pink than lavender.

"Eh, nothing I can't han— HEY!"

Both Vee and Lightning jumped at the sudden intrusion of Chick Hicks squeezing in between them.

"Do you mind?" Lightning growled. "We were talking!"

"Take a hike, Queenie boy," Chick growled back, nudging him aside. Lightning lost momentum and fell back a ways.

"Damn it, Chick!" Vee shouted. "That was rude! How would you like it if I started doing that to you?"

Chick chuckled darkly. "If it was you doin' it, I'd say, bring it on, baby! Show ol' Thunder what you've got!" And to show that he was serious he bumped her side playfully.

Vee's on-and-off cramps were starting up again, and that little bump, harmless though it was, in her mind's eye only intensified her discomfort. She bumped him back, harder, but Chick merely laughed and pressed himself up against her, slowly but surely pushing her toward the outer wall. Vee gritted her teeth and slowly started pushing back, now driving Chick towards the inner field. He laughed and growled and purred intermittently as he pushed back. The two cars looked like a pair of slow dancers as they swept back and forth, side by side, across the tracks.

From somewhere behind Vee could hear Lightning's protests, and over the loudspeaker Darrell Cartrip joking about "Hicks and Vroom waltzing around the second turn." Vee decided it was high time to give up this pointless tactic and finish the race. She peeled herself, quite literally, away from Chick.

"Chrysler, why are you always so sticky?" she demanded, feeling certain that the two had exchanged a few decals when they separated. Why, oh why did he always stick to _her_ so easily? If it wasn't the cheap spray-on body glitter he always made her wear on their dates, it was the damnable Gatorade residue he never washed off after a race. Even now, in the absence of both, it was his stickers. Constantly peeling off, new ones being added all the time… Chick was nothing more than an embarrassing bumper sticker she couldn't get off her ass, no matter how hard she tried.

"Why are _you_ always so sexy?" he countered, veering toward her again.

She saw him coming in her mirror and swerved just in time to avoid contact with him. "Seriously, Chick, do I need to report you for sexual harassment? Because I will! Those days are over. I'm not putting up with your BS anymore!"

Taken aback by this, Chick stared at her in surprise. "Well, I'm sorry you can't take a compliment, babe, but this ain't sexual harassment when I do it to everyone here!" he said as he once again bumped her side.

Vee growled and bumped him back much harder, so much harder, in fact, that it sent him momentarily spinning out of control. Three car-lengths back, Lightning swerved just in time to avoid being taken out by the green car.

"Hoo boy! Can you believe that, Bob?" Darrell commented gleefully. "Vroom's starting to get aggressive. I think a little of Hicks rubbed off on her, literally! She's got some smooth moves right there. Ow! Is it hot in here, or is it just me?"

"I don't know, Darrell, but if it wasn't already hot enough down there on the tracks, it looks like things are heating up fast for that femme fatale. She is not letting Hicks through if she has anything to say about it."

And Bob was right. Vee was no longer shying away from Chick's advances – personal or otherwise. Any time he got near enough to pass her, she swooped into his path suddenly, forcing him to fall back. No one else was letting him through, either. Frustrated, he bided his time, watching for his chance. And there it was. He surged forward, throwing himself headlong at the sudden opening he saw between Vee and Lightning. But there wasn't quite enough room to make it through.

Chick's immediate solution to this was to catch Lightning off-guard with a slam to the back bumper, but just as he was about to do so, Vee cut in close and knocked him back when her own rear bumper swung in and smacked the side of his hood. Affronted by this, Chick threw himself forward again, aiming straight for her license plate.

It was only meant to be a harmless retaliation tactic. You know, maybe knock her off her tires for a second. Toss her out of the running for a minute or two. Nothing serious. But the fourth turn was coming up fast, and she was already hugging the outer wall. And it didn't help that McQueen was veering over to try to stop him, not when he already had all that momentum behind him. Because of that sudden interference, Chick was forced to change angles, and to change angles by even a single degree can drastically change the outcome.

He struck Vee on the corner of her back bumper. She jolted and started to skid toward the infield, then bounced off another car and shot straight back toward the outer wall. She hit it, rolled up it, then back down, landing on her roof. But it wasn't over yet. She fell directly into the path of another racecar, who could not swerve in time to avoid hitting her. She spun wildly back toward the infield, colliding with three other cars on the way. When she stopped, another car came skidding in, but could not stop or swerve in time, either. He sent her cartwheeling over two other wrecked cars into the center of the track, where she finally came to rest, unconscious and leaking various fluids, on her roof.

Lightning was the first to reach her. Two other racecars were next, followed by the medics. In all, nineteen cars had gotten caught up in the crash, thirteen of which only sustained minor injuries and were already struggling through the wreckage to continue racing. Vee was being loaded into an ambulance by the time Doc arrived at the site. He told the ambulance he was Vee's personal physician and that he would accompany her to the hospital.

"Doc! Wait!" Lightning shouted, hobbling after him. "I'm going, too!"

Doc stopped and shook his hood firmly. "No, kid. You stay here and finish the race."

"But I—"

"No buts. Vee wouldn't want you losing because of her. Now go get that tire fixed and then get back out there!" And without another word, the Hornet took off after the ambulance.

Numb from the whole ordeal, Lightning looked down at the tire he'd flattened running over Vee's broken mirror. He wouldn't be able to chase an ambulance OR race if he didn't get it taken care of right away. There was a yellow flag waving, and nearly everyone was taking advantage of it. As he headed into the pits, he caught a glimpse of Mack's horrified face amid the Velvalube team, and his heart lurched.

* * *

Please please please review! And check out the illustration for this and all the other chapters on my DeviantArt page!


	14. Truculence

_A/N: Looks like I'm on a roll now! And after eleven freaking months too! BTW I changed the title of the previous chapter because I forgot that that particular title was supposed to be used for an upcoming chapter._

_P.S.: The title of this chapter is a pun on the word 'truck'. 'Truculence' is defined as "feeling or displaying ferocity; fierce; cruel; savagely brutal, aggressively hostile; belligerent."_

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* * *

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN:  
TRUCULENCE

After the crash, Mack had been prohibited from going out onto the tracks to see Vee. "Authorized personnel only!" the officials had told him, regardless of his efforts to reason with them. How Doc had managed to gain clearance was beyond him. Nevertheless, the older car had literally raced out to the crash site, causing a sensation as eager onlookers, already in an uproar over the crash, cheered to see the racing legend momentarily back in action.

Mack's state of near-panic graduated to full-fledged horror as he watched the slow-motion instant replay of the crash and the events leading up to it. As Vee's crumpled form was tossed carelessly this way and that, shedding blood and oil and scraps of metal, the semi's insides felt as though they were experiencing the exact same thing. If a single coherent thought could have formed in his mind in those first nightmarish moments, it may very well have been "There is no worse feeling than this."

His wife… his best friend and his soul mate… and their baby… _his_ baby… could very well die. Why his head didn't explode with the enormity of that realization, he had no idea. It was just too much to bear. Thinking was too much to bear. Merely existing was too much to bear. Why hadn't he just put his tire down and forbade her to race? Because he wasn't the type to boss anyone around, and Vee wasn't the type to do what she was told. He might have laughed at that answer if the situation hadn't been so dire.

Mack watched Vee being loaded into the back of an ambulance up on the big screen. Somehow, he had to find out which hospital they were taking her to, and he had to get there ASAP. If it wasn't already too late…

"Mack!" Lightning was shouting to him from somewhere nearby.

Mack looked around and spotted the racecar rolling awkwardly into the pits. He rushed to meet him at the Rusteze station. His front left tire was flat, and there were scratches along his right flank from where he had sideswiped one of the wrecked cars. Mack noticed a dark smear on his cheek, like a mixture of oil and transmission fluid. Or blood. But he wasn't bleeding. And then there were the flecks of lavender paint on his ruined tire. Mack glanced up at the screen. Technicians were still working to clean up the debris. The twisted daggers of metal, the various fluids… some of which had come from Vee.

He grabbed the smaller vehicle and yanked him away from his pit crew. "You saw Vee? How is she? Is she alright? Is she conscious? Is the baby alright? _TELL ME!_"

"Whoa! Easy, Mack!" Lightning said as he pulled himself free of the semi's powerful grip. "Yes, I saw her, and no, she wasn't conscious." He hesitated for a moment before forcing himself to continue. "She… she didn't look good, Mack. Not good at all."

Mack's head spun with those words. He turned away, staring down at his hood, fighting back tears. Gaspar drove up to him and opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He knew there wasn't a single thing he could say to help his son. Lightning sighed heavily, feeling guilty for not having been able to prevent the accident. He reluctantly returned to his pit crew to fix his tire.

"Hoo baby, I'm parched! Hey Buck, toss me a cold one quick. I gotta get back out there before the rest of these lemons."

Mack was driving toward the source of that voice even before he knew who it was. Chick coasted into the pits, not a dent on his entire body nor a care in the world, laughing. Laughing, while the most important person in Mack's life lie mangled in the back of an ambulance, put there by none other than Chick Hicks himself. It was astounding how something so very green could make a man see red.

Mack didn't care much for that Hicks character, never did. He had never approved of his aggressive racing tactics or his showboating arrogance. He cared for him even less when he learned that the love of his life shared a seedy past with the notorious racecar. But now... now he downright loathed him.

Chick never saw him coming. One moment he was idling leisurely in the pits, sipping chilled oil… the next moment he had the wind knocked out of him as he found himself skidding sideways twenty feet, spitting oil all the way.

"What the—?" Before he could get another word out, Mack struck him again, knocking him clear off his tires. He rolled and landed upright. The truck was upon him again. Chick was shoved with crushing force against a wall. He tried to yell, but couldn't so much as squeak. He gasped for air that refused to enter his lungs.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU BASTARD!" Mack roared, slamming him against the wall repeatedly. Giant tires pummeled him left and right while an equally large grille kept him pinned to the wall. Stars exploded before Chick's eyes, the bitter taste of blood and break fluid filling his mouth.

Terrified screams filled the air as forklifts from various teams fled the vicinity. Several semis and pickups raced to intervene. Gaspar, who was nearest, got there first, followed immediately by another big rig. Both seized hold of Mack, but his blind fury could not be easily restrained.

"MACK!" Gaspar yelled, struggling with his son. "FOR DODGE SAKE, STOP! YOU'RE GONNA KILL HIM!"

Those words somehow managed to get through to the younger Trucker. He dropped Chick suddenly and backed away, staring down in horror at the half-crushed car. Blood, oil and antifreeze were smeared and splattered everywhere. Every inch of the stock car's body was covered in deep dents and scratches. He was barely clinging to consciousness as he looked up through black and swollen eyes at his attacker. Mack's tanks churned at the sight. _'Oh Chrysler, what have I done?'_

A crowd was quickly starting to form, a din of engines and voices all around him, from shrill whispers to angry shouts. Several security personnel, mostly stocky SUV's, plus a few cars, came barreling onto the scene. Their take-charge demeanor visibly withered when they saw what Mack had done, and they approached the much larger vehicle with utmost caution. One particularly brave SUV instructed Gaspar and the other semi to "keep a firm grip on him" before reading him his rights.

Reporters and photographers oozed in through the gathering crowd, assaulting Mack and Chick with bright flashes of light and shouted questions. Few were courageous enough to get very close to Mack. Field medics pushed their way through next to get to the injured racecar. All of the ambulances were still busy out on the tracks. As the crowd and the uproar grew, Mack felt himself being pulled away from the chaos. A too-small parking boot was attached to his front right wheel, but he didn't even feel the pinch. He'd gone numb. His eyes glazed over until the barrage of lights and frantic cars became no more than a colorful haze. Words refused to form on his tongue, let alone in his mind. He'd gone numb. Numb, dumb, deaf and blind.

Gaspar and the other truck led him away from the scene, closely surrounded by security personnel. Mack did not resist. His father was saying something to him, but he couldn't hear the words. His grim tone said enough. Mack felt a sudden emptiness on his left side, and realized that his father was no longer there. If he hadn't been so utterly numb, he would have understood completely why he had had to let him go.

Gaspar turned away, blinking back tears as his pregnant daughter-in-law was taken to the hospital and his only son into police custody. He turned on his headset cell phone, hesitant. A state away, his wife and friends would be watching the race on TV. If he didn't call them, they'd be calling him. Any minute now.

Sure enough, he heard a ring. Without even waiting to hear who the call was from, he answered it. Midge's panicked voice filled his ears.

"Gaspar! I saw the crash! How is Vee? Is she alright? What's going on? Where's Mack? Is _he_ okay? For Dodge sake, tell me what's happening!"

"Honey, calm down! They took Vee to the hospital. Doc went with her. I haven't had a chance to see her yet. It all happened so fast."

"What about the baby?" Midge demanded. "That crash looked really bad. She could have a miscarriage!"

Gaspar sighed. "I know, but… well, all we can do is pray. Vee's tough. I know she can pull through this. And the kid's half semi. That's a plus."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment. Gaspar didn't volunteer any more information, hoping to delay the inevitable for as long as possible.

"How's Mack taking it?" Midge asked quietly, and his tanks churned. If only someone else could tell her. But no. It was his burden to bear alone. His wife, his son, his burden.

"Not very well," he said after a pause. "He had a bit of a breakdown and he…" Gaspar cleared his throat, which had suddenly gone dry. All the moisture seemed to have gone to his eyes. "…took it out on Hicks."

"What do you mean?" Midge asked fearfully.

By this point he had to force himself to speak. "I mean he attacked him. Beat 'im up real bad."

"WHAT?!"

Gaspar winced. "Yeah. Real bad. Hicks is pretty messed up. Looks like hell." He looked back at the scene he'd left behind. "They're loading 'im up in an ambulance now."

"Well that's – I can't b— where's Mack now?" Midge stammered, her voice raising in both pitch and decibel.

Gaspar refused to look in the direction they had taken his son. He sighed heavily, voice and eyes both brimming with tears that he managed (just barely) to control. "Arrested. He's goin' to jail."

Nothing that had happened that day hurt nearly as much as the sound of his wife crying over the phone. Her sorrow was loud and clear, yet she was so very far away. It pained him not to be able to hold her close and comfort her the way he so longed to do.

"I'm sorry, hun." After a long and weighty silence peppered by Midge's sobs, he spoke again. "Listen, I'm gonna go to the hospital now, check on Vee. Then I'm gonna go see what I can do about our son. I have a feeling I won't be home for a while, 'cuz I don't think either one of 'em will be released anytime soon. I don't wanna just up and leave 'em all alone here."

Midge sniffled. "I'm coming out there," she announced.

"No, honey. Don't. I'll handle it. You just stay home."

"I'm coming," she said again, with conviction. "It's _our_ family, Gaspar. I want to be there."

Gaspar sighed. "All right. Lightning's staying at the Four Seasons on Beachfront. I'll meet you there when you get in, 'kay?"

"Okay. I should be there in three hours. I'm leaving right now."

Gaspar hung up, then looked down to see Lightning standing in front of him, his flat tire replaced. For a long moment the two men just stood there, exchanging solemn looks. There were a million things that either one could have said to the other, but the heavy silence did not break, even for an instant. Gaspar merely nodded, then turned and drove away, knowing full well that his friend would follow.

* * *

_A/N: Okay, I know I've just given you all a LOT to swallow after a nearly year-long dry spell, but please bear with me. I know things sound bad now, but… well, I can't give anything away, but I promise not to disappoint. You've all been such great reviewers and faithful followers of this fic, and I shall reward you with Ch. 15 very soon!_


	15. Their Racing Hearts

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:  
THEIR RACING HEARTS

Despite the tough front he put on, Gaspar couldn't bear the thought of facing his son through the bars of a jail cell. Not alone, anyway. That's why he waited at the hotel for nearly four hours for Midge. There was little else he could do. The police wouldn't allow him so much as a glimpse at Mack yet. He couldn't help wondering how long it could possibly take just to "book" someone. And he couldn't get within a thousand feet of Vee because the hospital she was taken to was designated for smaller vehicles. Ambulances were about the biggest things that could fit through the doors. What made matters even worse was the fact that Doc couldn't even report to him on Vee's condition, as he had not been permitted past the entrance to the ER.

He had just gotten off the phone with him for the third time when the sound of a familiar diesel engine caught his attention. Gaspar turned around to see Midge pulling up to the hotel. She looked considerably calmer than she had sounded on the phone earlier, though her expression was grim. The two stood staring at each other for a long moment, the silence heavy between them.

"Midge," Gaspar murmured, rolling closer to her. She met him halfway with a tearless sob. They held each other close for another long moment, almost afraid to let go. It was only when Gaspar backed away that he noticed the rusty tow truck standing behind Midge.

"Mater?"

Mater grinned. "That's mah name!"

Gaspar gave his wife a quizzical look. "What's he doin' here?"

Midge smiled faintly. "Half the town wanted to come, but he was the most insistent. Plus he was the only one ready to leave right away."

Mater nodded. "Tha's right! 'Cuz Ah gots ever'thin' Ah need right here!" he said, waving his back end. This caused his tow cable to swing wildly about and the loose assortment of tools in his bed to clink together.

Gaspar smirked. "Well, just so you know, this ain't no vacation," he said sternly. "This is some very serious stuff goin' on here."

Mater dropped his smile and nodded agreement. He looked so uncharacteristically solemn just then that no one could possibly doubt the sincerity of what he said next. "Ah know. Ah wouldn'ta come all this way on such short notice if it weren't. Ah came 'cuzza Vee an' Mack. They's mah bestest buds, right after Lightnin'. An' besides, it jist weren't right tuh let Midge drive two hundred miles all on her lonesome."

Both Midge and Gaspar smiled fondly at the smaller truck. Then Midge turned to her husband suddenly and said "How is Vee? Have you found anything out yet?"

Gaspar seemed hesitant to answer. "Well, I found out _some_, but – it's still kinda wait-and-see at this point. They've got her stable, but it was a pretty bad crash, and right now the main concern is the baby." At his wife's horrified expression, he quickly added, "It's fine, for now. She hasn't miscarried or anything like that, but… that doesn't necessarily mean that she won't later on. That's what the doctors are worried about."

Midge bit her lip, stifling a sob. She stared morosely down her hood, unresponsive both to Mater's tire touching hers and to her husband's grille nuzzling her cheek. Lightning came out of the hotel lobby just then to join the group. Gaspar glanced down at him, then at Mater, then back up at his wife.

"C'mon, hun," he whispered, "let's go see Mack."

* * *

The holding area for larger vehicles was located in the back of the jail. Oddly, it was far smaller than the rest of the place, the individual cells barely big enough to allow a bus to turn around. There were only four cells, half of which were empty. Of the remaining two, one contained a street sweeper sleeping off a DUI, the other a forlorn-looking red semi truck.

"MACK!" Midge shrieked, all but throwing herself against the bars of his cell. The sweeper jolted awake, glanced around blearily, mumbled something incoherent, and promptly resumed snoring.

Mack took one look into his mother's watery eyes and tears began to threaten his own. "Mom?" he croaked, his voice hoarse and faint. He rolled forward, extending a tire. Gaspar pulled up beside Midge, and when Mack saw the look on his face, his oil ran cold and he quickly backed away. It was a strange and terrifying look, one composed of equal parts disappointment, pain and fury. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his father so upset.

Gaspar struggled with these emotions, unsure which to reveal first. "Mack Trucker, how could you – why did you – damn it, Mack, do you have any idea how _bad_ this is? What have I always told you growing up? Huh? That you don't ever, EVER hurt another vehicle, especially the little ones! There's no Dodge-given excuse for beatin' up someone weaker than you! None whatsoever!"

"Gaspar!" Midge pleaded, and he stopped for a moment to consider her. Glancing around, he noticed that everyone, including the guard and the drunk street sweeper down at the other end of the corridor, was staring at him. He hadn't realized he'd been yelling so loud. With a weary sigh, he lowered his voice to a growl.

"You hurt a lot of people today, Mack, and not just that Chick character. You hurt Vee, you hurt your friends here," he gestured to Lightning and Mater standing nearby, "and you hurt your mother. Real bad. You made her cry. You feel like a big man now? Huh? Do ya?"

Mack, who had been withering visibly under his father's reprimand, suddenly sprang back at the mentioning of his wife. "Wait! You saw Vee? How is she? Is she okay? Is the baby okay?

"She's fine," Gaspar answered gruffly, his dark mood unspoiled by his son's concern. "Baby's fine too, though I didn't get to see her. Hospital's too small. They wanna keep her a while to make sure she doesn't have complications."

Mack's obvious relief at this news only fueled Gaspar's anger. "But that don't change what you did. Not by a long shot. Chick's in the same hospital as Vee, and Doc says he's worse off than she is. You're in big trouble, even if he doesn't press charges, 'cuz you're gonna have a hell of a time convincing anyone that you weren't tryin' to bump off a competitor!"

"But I wasn't!" Mack replied. "You know I wasn't going to kill him, Dad. You _know_ that! But you saw what he did to Vee. It wasn't an accident. He could've killed the baby!"

"Use your common sense, boy! Do you honestly think he _knew_ she was pregnant? And do you really think he'd a done what he did if he _had_ known?"

"But he still had no right to do it," Mack said bitterly.

"For the love of Peterbilt, it's NASCAR! What do you expect? That sort of thing happens all the time!"

"But I—"

"No more excuses!" Gaspar snapped. "We can stand here arguing all day and you aren't gonna convince me of anything, except how desperate you are to justify yourself. You attacked a car, Mack! You beat up a vehicle much smaller and weaker than you, who stood absolutely no chance of defending himself! You wanna rationalize, be my guest, but not with me. You look your mother in the eye and tell _her _why you did it. I'm through with you."

And without another word, Gaspar turned away, ignoring his son's protests as he drove down the corridor and parked at the far end, near the door. Mater and Lightning, who had been standing by awaiting their turn to speak to Mack, were stricken silent by Gaspar's reproach. Neither one dared to utter so much as a syllable.

Midge stared sadly at her son after Gaspar had taken his leave. There wasn't an ounce of his venom in her aching, loving look, and though it hurt Mack just as much as his father's hard glare, it nonetheless invited all the things Gaspar's demeanor had prohibited.

He brushed a tire against the treads Midge had wedged between the narrow bars, his eyes fixed on his hood ornament. "I know what I did was wrong," he murmured, "and I know there's no forgiving it, but… I just wish I could make you and Dad understand _why_ I did it, why I was able to justify it the moment it happened." He sighed heavily. "I wish _I_ knew why, but I don't. It hardly makes any sense now."

Midge flexed her treads in order to grip her son's tire. "Try," she whispered, giving him a look of the utmost willingness to understand.

Try as he might, Mack was reluctant to divulge certain facts. "I don't know if I should," he confessed. "It's kind of personal. Kind of _really_ personal."

His mother said nothing. She didn't need to. The look in her eyes said enough. Even more, it begged him to open up to her so much that he finally gave in.

Mack sighed. "Well, you know what Vee used to do in L.A., right?" he said quietly, almost a whisper, though the sound carried well down the corridor to where his father stood glaring at him.

Midge nodded. Vee had come clean to the Truckers about her past not long after they'd moved to Radiator Springs. Mack had told her that they didn't need to know, but she'd insisted. "I can't keep living a lie," she had argued. "If they hate me for it, then so be it. It lets me know who my true friends are." Far from passing judgment, Midge and Gaspar had been nothing if not completely open and understanding. Not only them, but everyone in town knew about her former profession. Reactions had varied from laughter and disbelief to mild disgust and indifference, but in the end everyone, including the cantankerous Sarge and uptight Sheriff, came to accept her as one of their own.

Mack glanced warily at Lightning and Mater, but avoided eye contact with his dad. "I don't feel right telling you this, but here goes." He paused, his next words already tasting rancid in his mouth. "Her and Chick… got to know each other pretty well through her old job."

The silence that fell after this statement was like a piano hitting the ground from the hundredth floor. If not for the street sweeper's gurgling snores, it might have crushed them all. The fire in Gaspar's glare smoldered and died.

Mack shook his hood, blinking back the sting of tears. "I told her I wasn't jealous," he murmured, "and I told myself that, too. All this time I tried to convince myself that I wasn't, that I just loved her so much and felt bad about what she'd subjected herself to. But then when she told me about— about _him_— I couldn't help it. I hated him for it, but I didn't want her to know, so I just pretended it didn't bother me. That none of it bothered me. It was her life, not mine. I kept telling myself I had no right to be jealous, but… after what _he_ did to her today… I couldn't take it anymore."

A sharp noise escaped his throat, and he shuddered. A sudden torrent of tears streamed down his hood. "I just wanted her to be happy," he sobbed, throat tightening. "Let her know I didn't judge her for what she did and that I could never love her any less for it. She feels guilty enough as it is. That's why I could never let her know how much it _did_ bother me. But now… now she knows. And the worst part is, I'm stuck here. I can't even be there for her when she needs me the most!"

"Wull don't feel bad, Mack," Mater spoke up. "Ya couldn'ta been there anyways 'cuz the hospital's too dang small!" Everyone turned to stare at the tow truck. "Whut? Ah's jist tryin' tuh cheer 'im up a little. It hurts tuh see a friend hurtin'." He drove up to the bars that separated him from his friend. "Ah know it probly don't mean much, but Ah promise ya, Mack, me an' Lightnin' is gonna go to that hospital and look after Vee fer ya. We won't leave her side fer nothin', will we?"

Lightning turned a tire outward in a shrug. "Welllll…"

"Tha's right! We's gonna have ourselves a good ol'-fashioned bedside vigilante!"

For the first time since his incarceration, Mack managed a smile. A small one, but sincere just the same. "Thanks, guys," he sniffled. "That does mean a lot to me. Really, it does."

"Ya want us tuh give 'er a message?"

"Sure. Tell her I love her and I'm sorry and – well – Mater, give her a kiss for me, will you?"

Mater nodded gleefully. "Ten-four, good buddy!"

"What about me?" Lightning asked, a little too eagerly.

Mack smirked at him. "Yeah, you can tell her to punch your headlights out if you try to kiss her."

"Ha! Joke's on you 'cuz this car ain't got headlights!"

"Then tell her to make some holes for headlights if you come within ten feet of her with your lips puckered!"

Gaspar rolled forward just then, and the smile vanished from Mack's face. He stared at his father with a mixture of guilt, anticipation and dread. To his surprise, Gaspar dipped his hood to him respectfully. "I can't make any promises, but I'm gonna see what I can do about gettin' you bailed out of here."

* * *

Vee didn't fully regain consciousness until the morning after the crash. By then her private hospital room had been crowded with flowers from friends and fans alike. Most prominent among these were contributions from Red's personal garden, Easter lilies from Flo and Ramone, red roses and baby's breath from the Truckers, freesias and snapdragons from the Weathers, tulips from Sally, chrysanthemums and carnations from Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and pink roses from Darrell Cartrip.

Before she even opened her eyes, the floral scents overwhelmed her. They were practically intoxicating. Vee breathed in deeply and sighed, wondering vaguely if she had died and woken up in Paradise. It didn't occur to her in her drug-induced haze that Paradise promised an end to pain, including the all-over ache tingling to life throughout her frame. The razor-sharp reek of alcohol lurking just beneath the various flower fragrances should have been her second clue that she had survived the crash. It wasn't until she managed to pry open her bruised and swollen eyes and focus them that she realized where she was.

Cables and tubes went under her battered hood, attached at either end to who knew what. Something beeped quietly nearby. She moaned. There was a small sound to her right, followed by a familiar voice. "Well, good morning, Mizz Vroom." Unable to move (both a front and rear tire on opposite sides had been removed), she tried turning only her gaze in the direction of the voice. Doc moved to park himself directly in front of her. "How are you feeling?"

Vee's mouth felt like it was full of peanut butter. Her throat was parched. "Mm— what— ooh, my hood." She looked cross-eyed down at her crumpled hood and grimaced. "Where's the morphine? I feel like crap."

Doc smiled. "Sorry, no morphine during pregnancy. I'll have the doctor find something safe to give you."

Vee blinked. "S-so the baby's okay?"

"For the time being, yes. You were both extremely fortunate to come away from that crash intact." She smirked as he looked her over. "Well, for the most part. They want to keep you and the baby under close observation for about a week to make sure you don't develop any complications."

"But it's – it's really okay? My baby's all right?"

Doc smiled again and nodded. "It's just fine. Can you feel it moving?"

Vee didn't answer right away. "Not right now, no," she said after nearly half a minute. "Are you _sure_ it's okay?"

Doc shrugged. "If you don't believe me, have a look at the monitor."

"I can't quite—"

"Here." Doc rolled the device around the bed until it was easily within Vee's limited field of vision. "See that second line from the top there? That's the baby's heartbeat."

Vee stared wide-eyed at the fluctuations of the green line for a long time, unblinking. "It's so fast," she murmured, awestruck.

"It's usually a bit faster than that," Doc informed her. "Looks like he or she is asleep right now."

"Can they tell what it is yet?"

"Well, they did do an ultrasound, but— don't you want it to be a surprise?"

"I do, but I meant the make and model, not the sex. Can they tell what it is yet? I just want to know if what I'm carrying isn't going to be… you know…" Vee blushed and bit her lip.

Doc nodded. "I understand. From what I saw, it wasn't very clear, but it didn't look nearly as big as you might have been expecting. Of course, now that you're entering the second half of your pregnancy, it's going to start growing really big, really fast."

Vee said nothing in response to this, though Doc could have sworn she paled a little. The Chrysler turned her attention back to the monitor, and as she stared at it solemnly, her eyes began to shimmer. When she blinked, tears spilled down and pooled in the dents on her hood.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, watching the green line that tracked the baby's heart rate rise and fall rhythmically. "Mommy's an idiot. She never meant to put you in danger, but she did, anyway. All for a stupid hunk of brass."

The young woman's words hit a nerve in the elder racecar. Silently, he reached out to her, placing a worn but gentle tire on hers. They stayed that way for a long moment, until finally Vee blinked away the last tear and turned to Doc with a thankful smile. He smiled back.

"Where's Mack?" she asked hoarsely, and his smile vanished.

"He's— being detained at the moment," he answered carefully, "but he sends his love—"

"And us!" came a voice from the doorway. Vee didn't need to see who it was to recognize Lightning's voice.

"Yup! We're here tuh keep ya comp'ny, Mizz Vee!" Mater said, driving up to her and kissing the minimally damaged space between her wheel well and right headlight. "That's from Mack," he added with a blush.

"Thanks, Mater," Vee replied, smiling. "But where _is_ Mack?"

"In jail," Mater answered before Doc or Lightning could intervene.

Vee stared at him. "What?"

"He beat up Chick Hicks, who looks WAY worse than you, by the way," Lightning spoke up, putting on a casual air in order to downplay the severity of Mack's crime. "I saw him a few minutes ago. He's just down the hall, as a matter of fact."

"I thought you two went to the cafeteria?" Doc said, raising a brow.

"We did," Lightning assured him, "but it's closed till lunchtime, so I went to see Chick."

"An' Ah went up tuh the maternity ward!"

Doc turned a stern look on the two truck. "You weren't by any chance trying to scare someone up there into labor, were you?"

Mater grinned. "Nope! Jist the babies! They's got this li'l newborn minivan in the nursery, cute as a lugnut, till ya go like this: BLEEEAAAH!" He bounced forward, baring his buck teeth and lolling his tongue around like an epileptic serpent. "Ooooh-ee! I never saw nuthin' so cute turn so ugly so dang fast!"

Mater guffawed, pounding the linoleum with a tire. At Doc's and Vee's smoldering glares he quickly sobered up. "Aw, Ah's jist kiddin', Mizz Vee. Ah only does that tuh baby tractors! But that li'l minivan liked me. Kids always like me!" he bragged. "Ah smiled at 'im, and he was smilin' back an' gigglin', and purdy soon every baby in the nursery was all happy and gigglin' an' makin' cute li'l faces—"

"That did SO not happen," Lightning interrupted. Turning to Doc and Vee, he explained, "I went up there with him. All the babies in the nursery were asleep, so Mater started tapping on the glass to wake them up. Then suddenly they're all crying, and this big, burly nurse comes out and yells at him, and he races off screaming with his tow cable between his tires!"

Vee laughed, and Doc smiled at the two young men, thankful for their presence. Still, with or without the dynamic duo, it was sure to be a long, hard week.


	16. No Place Like Home

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:  
NO PLACE LIKE HOME

There was a distance between the two vehicles sailing the shimmering asphalt on that unusually cool July afternoon. Not a physical distance, which ultimately would have vanished the moment they pulled up side by side at the four-way stop on Main Street. Those who hadn't seen Vee or Mack since before the crash saw that distance more plainly than those who'd been present to observe it growing between them all along. Both were clearly ashamed of their own actions during the previous week. Though certainly not ashamed of each other, both sensed the auras of self-blame miscast as shades of blame rightfully earned from their spouse.

With Lightning's generous financial aid, Mack managed to post his $35,000 bail two days before Vee's release from the hospital. After three days in the ICU and three more in a regular care ward, Vee drove straight from the hospital to the local courthouse for Mack's preliminary hearing, where an uncharacteristically withdrawn (and badly beaten) Chick Hicks announced, without looking either Mack or Vee in the eye, that he was dropping all charges.

The residents of Radiator Springs, gathered at Flo's, now watched the wayward couple approach with arched brows and nervous whispers. Curious enough that they should return in such a manner: Vee driving alongside Mack rather than riding in the trailer, the trailer itself absent from Mack's fifth wheel. More curious still was the distance between the newlyweds. Midge and Gaspar followed shortly behind, hauling Vee's and Lightning's trailers respectively. Bringing up the rear, and least conspicuous of all, were Lightning and Doc.

A muffled metallic banging coming from Lightning's trailer quickly drew everyone's attention away from Vee and Mack, both of whom seized the opportunity to start edging around the crowd they'd been dreading.

"Kin Ah come out now?" came a familiar voice from inside the trailer. "Ah gotta use the little trucks' room, an' Ah don't think this here trailer's got one! Wait, whut's this? Ooh… never mind!"

Lightning gave a panicked shriek and hit a lever near the ramp, which descended (far too slow for the racecar's liking) to reveal Mater's comically raised and wriggling backside. Mater was giggling like a naughty schoolboy as Lightning drove up behind him, ranting about his precious upholstery. When the tow truck failed to respond, his friend managed a quick peek around him, and what he saw nearly made his eyes pop out of his windshield.

"Hey! Get your dirty treads off of my magazines!" he yelled, trying unsuccessfully to shove his way in between Mater and the trailer wall. When that failed, he grabbed hold of his buddy's tow hook and dragged him, brakes set and screeching, down the ramp. Mater, however, was lost among the pages of the latest issue of _Jaggs_, and couldn't be pulled out of it as easily as he had been pulled from the trailer (which had been no simple task, a fact to which the brand-new skid marks on the ramp testified).

"Dadgum, lookit the headlights on that Chrissi! Ah shore wouldn't mind towin' _her_ down to the ol'—"

"MATER!"

Mater blinked and looked up. "Whu—?"

"Could you possibly use a little finesse the next time you decide to paw through my things?" Lightning growled as he yanked the magazine away from him. "This was autographed to me personally by Asia Carrera—"

"And when did you meet my cousin?" Sally demanded, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

Lightning cringed. "Um, she was at Quentin Tarantino's party last month, remember? Ooh, right. You weren't there." Then he blinked. "Wait, Asia Carrera is your cousin? _Your cousin?_ How come you never told me?"

"Don't change the subject!" Sally snapped. She swiped the magazine out from under his tire and quickly backed away. "You tell me how you got her 'personalized' autograph, and I'll tell you why I never told you!"

Lightning took off pleading after Sally to a general consensus of chuckles and catcalls. Doc watched them go with a sigh.

"All right, Mater," he said, turning to the tow truck, "let's get you over to the clinic. That rear differential noise isn't going to fix itself."

"Ah keep tellin' ya, Doc, Ah'm jist a li'l gassy 'cuz o' them greasy flapjacks Ah et back in Tucson!"

"Which I told you not to eat! That gas will be the least of your worries if you don't get your back bumper over to the clinic pronto!"

"Yessir," Mater mumbled, defeated. He lowered his towing boom and his hook dragged on the ground as he rolled toward the clinic.

Doc was about to follow him when he caught a glimpse of lavender on the outskirts of the crowd. "Not so fast, missy!" he shouted at Vee, who winced at his voice. "You're not off the hook either."

"But you're seeing Mater right now!" Vee pointed out.

"Ladies first! He can wait."

* * *

"First you insist on racing competitively during your second trimester, which is against NASCAR rules, by the way, then you insist on driving most of the way home, unassisted, only a week on the mend from a crash that _should_ have knocked some sense into your head—"

"Ow! That's too tight!"

"—then you have the gall to drive two hundred and eighty-five miles with a misalignment, without even telling me!"

"Because I knew you'd overreact, just like you're doing right now! OW! Damn it, will you stop that already? There _is _such thing as over-torquing, you know."

"Then hold still for one cotton-picking minute!"

Parked just outside the clinic, Mater glanced timidly up at Mack. "Ah think they's workin' out a lot more'n an _uh-lie-mint_ problem in there," he whispered, his mirror nearest the clinic door pricked as he strained to catch Doc's quiet muttering.

Vee's sudden screech caused both trucks to jump.

"Dodge Ram it, I TOLD you not to do that without warning me first!" she yelled.

"Stay on the lift!" Doc yelled back. "We're almost done here."

"No, _I_ was done ten minutes ago! _You're_ just looking for an excuse to keep torturing me!"

There was a clanging sound, like something metal hitting the floor, followed by the muffled thud of something much heavier. Mack knocked hesitantly on the clinic door.

"Hey, Doc, I'd appreciate it if you'd didn't torture my wife," he said loudly. "When she suffers, I suffer! Literally!"

A moment later the door burst open, whacking Mater in the face as Vee came streaking out of the clinic like a bat out of hell. Doc appeared at the threshold a second later, yelling "Sheriff!"

The squad car was already apprehending the speeder in front of Luigi's Casa Della Tires. Curious about the ruckus, half the town was beginning to gather on the spot.

"I am NOT going back in that clinic and you can't make me!" Vee was protesting loudly. "There is no law that says I can't disobey doctor's orders!"

"No, but there _are_ laws against speeding, young lady," Sheriff argued, barring her way. "It's _my _duty to uphold those laws, and it's Doc's duty to take care of you and that baby of yours. Now why don't you just let 'im finish up and then you can go home and get some rest."

"I just spent a week in a hospital doing nothing _but_ resting!" Vee snapped back. "I'm going out to do some laps on the obstacle course before it gets dark."

"Oh no you aren't!" Sarge spoke up from the crowd. "The last thing I need on my course is a pregnant car! You're one liability I can't afford!"

"Aw, be nice, man," Fillmore said. "She's not gonna sue you if she gets hurt. She's got way more money than you already. You don't have anything she wants."

Rather than being reassured, Sarge merely growled.

Vee huffed. "Fine. Then I'll go out to the butte instead." She started going around the squad car, but one shout from Doc and Sheriff moved to block her again. Vee huffed even louder. "What?" she snapped, spinning around to face the Hornet.

Doc adjusted his glare to match hers. "Well, I _was_ going to ask you to remember to take your vitamins when you get home, but if you're going to be snippy then maybe I'll just escort you home myself and stay until you've taken every last one. How does that sound? I know you haven't been taking them regularly like I told you to."

"Duh, that's because they're gross! Have you ever tasted any of them? It's like something spoiled that's been eaten, puked up, eaten again, and then puked up a second time!" Vee made an ugly face to illustrate her disgust.

Doc's expression softened somewhat. "Well, I'm sorry they're not gumdrops and jellybeans, but you _need_ to take them, Vee. Remember what the doctors at the hospital told you? You've got a lot more prenatal deficiencies than are normal for a car your size. The baby's taking all the nutrients it needs from you, which is considerably more than you can give it, so _you're_ the one who's going to end up suffering for it." In his first show of tenderness since their return, Doc brushed a tire against hers. "Come on over to Flo's and I'll have her mix those vitamins up in a milkshake for you. How does that sound?"

Vee, who'd been standing rigidly the whole time, relaxed, her scraped and dented frame sagging until her belly nearly touched the ground. The sharp lines of contempt in her face melted into a soft, serene look with just a hint of a smile. Slowly, she nodded. "Okay. As long as I can have strawberry/chocolate swirl," she said, following Doc back to the diner. "With caramel. And whipped cream. And cinnamon. Ooh, and banana slices. And chopped walnuts. And s—"

"All right, let's not overdo it," Doc admonished. "You're just getting something to help you take your vitamins, not ordering your last dessert on death row."

Vee parked at her usual pump while Mater parked eagerly beside her in the spot usually reserved for Mack. Doc quirked a brow at him. "And what do you think you're doing?" he demanded of the tow truck.

"Ah'm havin' whut she's havin'!" Mater declared happily. "But, uh, ixnay on the vitamins," he added in a whisper. "Ah don't want mah shake tuh taste like throw up!"

Though Vee chuckled beside him, Doc didn't look remotely amused. "The only dessert you're getting is your just desserts, if you don't get yourself over to my clinic and up on that lift by the time I count to five!" the Hornet growled. "One…"

With a screeching of tires, Mater vanished before Doc could reach "two." But Doc didn't follow him to the clinic right away. Instead, he stayed at the café until the shake he'd promised Vee had been made (minus all the extravagant toppings) and she had taken the first taste without complaint. The strawberry/chocolate flavor was apparently more than enough to mask the vitamins, judging by the gusto with which Vee downed the shake.

Meanwhile, Mater's astounded comments as he gaped at the various pregnancy and female anatomical charts could clearly be heard from the clinic next door. "Holy shoot! That looks downright painful, that does! Is that _really_ whut's goin' on in there? Wull no wonder Mizz Vee's so plumb ornery, she's got a li'l monster the size of a hubcap crammed up inside 'er! Ain't hardly any room fer the li'l fella tuh turn around, so when it comes out, how's it s'posed tuh—? _Yeowy,_ that's gotta hurt!"

Vee looked up at Mack, parked silently beside her. He blushed slightly, trying fruitlessly to restrain a snicker. Despite her many earlier complaints, Vee was too contented now (and too lazy) to do anything but laugh. Despite her aches and pains and Doc's nagging and her friends' annoying concern for her and the baby, it was good to be home.


End file.
